Australia Cup Final: Three soccer fans charged after they allegedly raised their arms in Nazi salute

Three men have been charged under new NSW laws which ban the display of Nazi imagery after an alleged hate crime incident during a football match at Parramatta’s Commbank Stadium last year.

Police launched an investigation after a highly-charged Australia Cup final between Sydney United 58 and Macarthur FC last October.

Followers of semi-professional club Sydney United were widely condemned after they allegedly raised their arms in Nazi salutes.

Images from the match showed Sydney United 58 supporters throwing their arms up in apparent ‘Sieg Heil’ salutes, while some of their fellow fans reportedly sang a chant associated with a Croatian far-right movement.

On Friday, after an extensive police investigation which involved detectives poring over hours of broadcast footage and CCTV, officers charged three men.

Police launched an investigation after a highly-charged Australia Cup final between Sydney United 58 and Macarthur FC last October (pictured, fans at the October final)

Police issued a 24-year-old Beverley Park man with a court attendance notice and charged him with knowingly displaying a Nazi symbol without an excuse.

A 44-year-old Doonside man and 45-year-old Wetherill Park man were charged with the same offence.

All three will appear in Parramatta Local Court on April 19.

Last year, the government introduced new legislation which banned the public display of Nazi and other symbols associated with antisemitism and racism.

It is the first high profile case in which a person has been charged with the office.

On Friday, after an extensive police investigation which involved detectives poring over hours of broadcast footage and CCTV, officers charged three men (pictured, fans at the cup final) 

Anyone found guilty of the offence of displaying a Nazi symbol without an excuse faces a maximum penalty of 12 months imprisonment and/or an $11,000 fine.

Following the Australia Cup final, the alleged actions of the fans were slammed by Premier Dominic Perrottet.

Mr Perrottet said he was horrified by the fans’ behaviour and called for lifetime bans.

‘My position is that if they are caught, there should be life bans in place,’ he said last October.

‘This behaviour is not acceptable in our great country.’

Sydney United fans dominated the 16,461 crowd at CommBank Stadium at the October final

Following the Australia Cup final, the alleged actions of the fans were slammed by Premier Dominic Perrottet (pictured on Saturday)

Peak Jewish organisation, the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, condemned the incident and the alleged actions of the fans.

‘The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies condemns the reprehensible behaviour of football fans who chanted songs with fascist links and performed Nazi salutes during the Australia Cup final last night,’ the organisation said in a statement at the time.

‘These vile salutes have no place in modern Australian society and we call on Football Australia to take immediate action against the perpetrators.’