A football fan recently attended a match in Australia and found himself in a legal situation as a result. Dominik Sieben, a 25-year-old, was captured on CCTV allegedly performing a Nazi salute during the 2022 Australian Cup final between Sydney United 58 and Macarthur on October 1, 2022. He appeared in Parramatta Local Court on Monday (April 8) and is facing a charge of knowingly displaying a Nazi symbol in public without a reasonable excuse. Two others who attended the game separately have also been charged.
During police questioning at his front door, Sieben said that he had a beer in one hand and was trying to cheer on his team with his other arm, showing police videos of fans performing the same chant. According to him, the media misinterpreted the situation and “twisted the entire thing” to portray him in a negative light. The prosecutor highlighted that a key issue to be determined is whether the salute constitutes a Nazi symbol, as it is not clearly defined in the 2022 act. They indicated that this determination would be made by Magistrate Joy Boulas at the Parramatta Local Court.
The hearing on this matter is ongoing.
