Italian football fan arrested in Germany for giving 'Hitler salute'

By Can Erozden

An Italian football fan has been arrested in Germany for performing a "Hitler salute," local police confirmed Tuesday.

In a statement, Munich police said the 18-year-old was arrested for giving the fascist salute in a restaurant and was fined before being released.

Police are conducting further investigations.

The Italian daily La Repubblica reported that many Lazio fans sang a fascist song at Munich's Hofbrauhaus beer hall.

In a video published by the newspaper, the fans can be seen finishing the song by chanting “Duce! Duce! Duce!” in reference to the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, an ally of Hitler, and appear to be giving fascist salutes.

The incident occurred before the Italian club's UEFA Champions League last 16 match against Bayern Munich.

Hofbrauhaus is a famous and popular Munich beer hall where Adolf Hitler founded the Nazi party with a speech in 1920.

Lazio won the first leg 1-0 in Rome.