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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Connor Gordon

Rangers fan gave Nazi salute to German supporters at Europa League clash

A Rangers fan has been convicted of doing a Nazi salute towards German supporters.

Josh Smith, 29, made the sick taunt at Ibrox Stadium during the club's Europa League semi-final clash versus RB Leipzig on May 5, 2022.

Smith, of Greenock, Inverclyde, later told police that he did not do a Nazi salute but a gesture for the "hand and the Crown."

Smith - an operations manager at insurance company Cigna - was found guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner which was racially aggravated.

The trial heard from PC Mark Boyd, 31, who was working on the segregation area between the two sets of fans.

He stated that he saw Smith make a number of gestures towards the visiting fans he was standing in front of.

Prosecutor Jennifer Sillars asked what was brought to his attention.

The officer replied: "The middle finger and the V-sign with two fingers."

Miss Sillars said: "You saw Mr Smith make obscene gestures, what was it you saw?"

PC Boyd: "The hand gesture was in essence the Nazi salute.

"There was no hand up to the mouth or anything, just the hand gesture.

"His hand was open and the palm was straight up."

Miss Sillars then inquired what perception the officer had about what Smith was doing.

Rangers fans celebrate after victory in the UEFA Europa League Semi Final Leg Two match between Rangers and RB Leipzig at Ibrox Stadium on May 05, 2022. (UEFA via Getty Images)

He said: "You could see it was a racist gesture because of the nationality of the fans standing behind me."

Miss Sillars: "How did that make you feel?"

PC Boyd: "Disgusted that someone would do these gestures in this day and age."

The officer stated that he and colleague PC Sarah Douglas, 26, arrested Smith after the game.

The officer claimed that Smith initially stated that he "did not make any hand gestures."

But PC Boyd said he was told: "I never made any Nazi salute, it was the hand and the Crown."

The officer claimed he later had to Google the phrase and stated that his "inference was the Northern Ireland flag has a hand and a Crown."

Smith in his evidence told the court that he had "banter" with the RB Leipzig fans throughout the match.

He stated that he did a "red hand of Ulster and the Crown" salute.

Smith claimed that he did this due to an affiliation Northern Ireland has with Rangers.

He added: "For me the red hand was a symbol of not surrendering.

"The tie went to 2-2 and it was on a knife edge - I was merely signalling we would not surrender and continue to fight."

Sheriff Anthony Deutsch said after finding him guilty: "I regard this as serious, I wonder what the Leipzig fans thought.

"I accept what happened at the time was during high emotions.

"If you commit a similar offence like this you will be heading towards custody."

Smith was fined £790 and banned from attending all UK football matches for six months.

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