Why Didn't Orlando's Kia Center Stop Nazi Salutes at Its Event?
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Fans at an Orlando arena were filmed giving Nazi salutes during a kickboxing match. Then the venue responded to the backlash: ‘First Amendment’

The city did condemn the act.

Videos circulating on social media showed people in the crowd at a Saturday night kickboxing card inside Orlando’s city-owned Kia Center holding Nazi flags and making salutes, reports Mediaite. MMA promotion company Duel: Arena put on the fights. One of the bouts pitted Paul Miller, known as “Gypsy Crusader,” against Ben Azoulay, who uses the name “King Azoulay.”

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Reports have described Miller as a far-right influencer with a history of antisemitic and white supremacist remarks and a prior federal prison sentence connected to felony charges for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. Azoulay is Jewish and from Israel.

Miller took the win. Afterward, he told the arena over the microphone that Azoulay was “not a tough guy” and “not some alpha male,” but “a short little f–king Jew p—k,” according to WKMG. That report also said that video appeared to show him giving the Nazi salute to the crowd twice. Azoulay told Fox 35 Orlando he was “deeply disturbed by what happened.” Miller turned down an interview and said he did not see an issue with the incident.

Orlando Venues condemned the displays while saying the city is bound by the First Amendment

Orlando Venues, the city department that runs the Kia Center, told Orlando Weekly through a spokesperson, “We do not condone or approve the messaging during Saturday’s event and the flag was removed once we saw it on display.”

A later statement from the Kia Center on X said the city and the venue “unequivocally condemn all forms of hate speech, discrimination, antisemitism, racism and any message that encourages hatred or violence against any person or group.” Broader debates over free speech and hate speech have surfaced in other cases, such as when a Kansas teacher was arrested after allegedly applauding data center opponents at a city meeting.

The statement said those views “belong solely to the individuals who expressed them” and “do not reflect the values of Orlando Venues, the City of Orlando or our staff.” It stated, “As operators of public venues, the City is bound by the First Amendment. This means we cannot deny access because we disagree with the political ideology, opinion or perspective, regardless of the message.” It added that this legal limit “does not soften our condemnation of what occurred.”

Arena rules bar signs with “indecent or derogatory comments/images, political statements or commercial references” and clothing “featuring offensive language, inappropriate material or that disrespect another culture.” Orlando Weekly reported that bags larger than 4.5″ x 6.5″ x 1″ are not allowed. How the Nazi flag got inside has not been explained.

Boxer Patrick Clark, who fought earlier on the same card, told Fox 35 he “couldn’t believe” a fan was holding a Nazi flag and that he recorded it. “I was just like, Orlando’s lost its mind,” he said. He said he had lived in Orlando for six years and had never seen anything like it.

He also said he was shocked when Miller “put up a Nazi salute” and then “his corner men were Nazi saluting the crowd.” The incident is part of a broader pattern of Nazi-related incidents in public spaces, as a mom and daughter were accused of stealing at Ross and the mom made a shocking Nazi remark.

Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) posted one of the videos on X and called it “utterly disturbing,” writing that “Antisemitism has NO PLACE in Florida.” Mayor Buddy Dyer (D) wrote on X that “hate will never be welcome here” and that the community would “continue to stand against antisemitism and all forms of hate to ensure that Orlando is a place where every person is valued and respected.”

State Rep. Anna Eskamani (D), who represents downtown, called for venue rules to be reviewed. “There needs to be a reevaluation of rules at the Kia Center [and all public venues] if such performances are allowed to be booked and platformed,” she wrote on Instagram. “The First Amendment is broad, but this invites + incites violence and all angles should be explored to prevent this from ever happening again.”


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Sadik Hossain
Freelance Writer
Sadik Hossain is a professional writer with over 7 years of experience in numerous fields. He has been following political developments for a very long time. To convert his deep interest in politics into words, he has joined We Got This Covered recently as a political news writer and wrote quite a lot of journal articles within a very short time. His keen enthusiasm in politics results in delivering everything from heated debate coverage to real-time election updates and many more.