Trio appeal convictions for Nazi salute at soccer game
Three men convicted of hate crimes after making the Nazi salute at a soccer match in Sydney will appeal the court ruling.
Sydney United 58 supporters are seen in the crowd ahead of the Australia Cup Final soccer match between Sydney United 58 and Macarthur FC at Commbank Stadium in Sydney, Saturday, October 1, 2022. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)
Three men who made Nazi salutes during a soccer match will appeal their convictions after being found guilty of hate crimes.
Nikola Marko Gasparovic, 46, Dominik Sieben, 25, and Marijan Lisica, 45, were convicted in June of making the salute during the match between Sydney United 58 and Macarthur FC at Parramatta’s CommBank Stadium on October 1, 2022.
Sieben did not appear for an appeal mention in Parramatta District Court on Friday, when the court was told all three of the men had indicated they would be appealing their convictions and sentences.
The men, who are of Croatian background, were each fined $500 after being found guilty of one count of publicly displaying a Nazi symbol without reasonable excuse.
At the game, Sieben wore a Croatian water polo cap and had a national flag draped over his shoulders while Lisica arrived in full-body army camouflage fatigues.
The three men did not know each other before being arrested.
In convicting the men, Magistrate Joy Boulos found beyond reasonable doubt they “deliberately and intentionally” performed the Nazi salute, rejecting their arguments the hand gesture was a symbol of Croatian national pride.
“At a time when we need to reduce racial tension, all this behaviour does is to inflame those tensions and there must be a strong condemnation to others who think this behaviour is acceptable,” she said at the time.
“Nazi symbols represent hatred, abject racism, genocide and a hateful ideology.”
Sieben and Gasparovic both received lifetime bans from attending football matches after being caught performing the salute to Network Ten cameras broadcasting the game.
Lisica was captured performing the salute on the stadium’s CCTV cameras and was banned for one year.
Sieben’s matter was adjourned to July 26, while Gasparovic is due to face court on August 9.
Report: Duncan Murray/AAP
