Miller and a spectator who also engaged in antisemitic harassment were ejected from the event.
By Shula Rosen
Paul Nicholas Miller directed an antisemitic tirade at Jewish Israeli-American fighter Ben Azoulay following a mixed martial arts (MMA) match in Orlando, Florida, giving a Nazi salute after the fight as a spectator displayed a giant swastika flag.
Miller and the spectator were ejected from the event.
The Duel Arena kickboxing event featured Miller and Azoulay in its headline fight. Miller, a convicted felon and open antisemite who is known by his fans as “the Gypsy Crusader,” made Nazi salutes from the ring after the match.
Miller also gained access to a loudspeaker and launched into an obscenity-laden antisemitic tirade directed at Azoulay.
The incident drew criticism from Anna Eskamani, a Florida state representative who is running to become Orlando’s mayor. Eskamani said Saturday’s event was unacceptable, as was the assertion by city officials that they were compelled to host it.
“This is another reminder of how prevalent extremism is in our society, and of the responsibility every one of us carries to combat antisemitism, racism, white supremacy and hate in all its forms,” Eskamani said in a statement to The Guardian.
She also called for public venues to reconsider how they handle similar events.
“It is also a reason for the Kia Center, and all public venues, to re-evaluate their rules. The First Amendment is broad, and I take it seriously, but conduct that invites and incites violence is a different question, and every angle should be explored to prevent this from happening again.”
Orlando Venues, a division of the city government that operates the 18,500-seat arena, addressed the controversy Tuesday.
In a statement, Orlando Venues said it was compelled to host the event and defended what it described as the participants’ constitutionally protected right of expression.
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