Guildford man banned from football grounds for Nazi salute
- Published
Alan Strank was prosecuted after police viewed bodycam and CCTV footage
A man who made a Nazi salute at a football match has been banned from football grounds for three years.
Alan Strank, 42, of Guildford, pleaded guilty to a racially aggravated offence under the Public Order Act at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on Thursday.
The Met Police said Strank made the gesture to away fans at a match between AFC Wimbledon and Milton Keynes Dons on 9 April.
He was fined £180 and ordered to do 50 hours of unpaid community work.
The incident was not reported on the day but an investigation was launched after a review of body-worn and CCTV footage, the Met Police said.
PC James Crawley, the investigating officer, said: "Racism has no place within football, or indeed in society, and those who engage in such behaviour should be under no illusion that they are committing a crime. The consequences of that crime [have been] clearly demonstrated.
"Genuine football fans and players are fed up with this kind of toxic discourse surrounding the game and we will use all the policing powers available to us to stop it from happening."
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