England Soccer Fans Arrested for Doing Nazi Salute in Germany

Ahead of a Nations League soccer match between England and Germany Tuesday in Munich, a number of England fans were arrested for giving the Nazi salute. Doing so is a crime punishable by up to three years behind bars in Germany, though DW.com reports tourists are often merely hit with fines. Prior to the arrests, British coach Gareth Southgate had talked about some English fans behaving badly, noting it does not reflect well on either the country or the soccer team: "You feel ashamed when you hear about it," he said, urging good behavior. Around 5,000 England fans were in Munich for the match.

On Monday night, three were arrested over the salute; one was arrested for urinating in public; one was arrested for setting off a flare in a hotel room; and two were arrested for abusing or insulting police officers. Sky News says it also witnessed England fans singing anti-German songs and chants, some of them related to World War II. But police described the arrests as isolated, alcohol-fueled incidents. The night was "overall very very calm" and "the mood in the city was very, very peaceful," a police rep says. The match ended in a 1-1 draw, according to Sporting News. (More soccer stories.)