The Arizona Cardinals are under fire after forcing season ticket holders to ditch their MAGA hats in order to get into State Farm Stadium last weekend.
Susan Rosener, a season ticket holder for 34 years, told KPNX-TV that stadium security stopped her on Sunday and told her she couldn't enter the facility wearing a hat that read “Make America Great Again.”
Rosener said security told him political paraphernalia was not allowed in the stadium.
The longtime fan said he asked security why hats were not allowed.
“She said, 'No political hats or shirts,' and I said I've never heard of that, it doesn't make sense to me, and she said, 'I told you to take your hat off,'” Rosener told the station.
Security insisted that Rosener be allowed into the stadium if she threw her hat in a trash can, which she did, but has since regretted the decision.
“Looking back, I wish I had stood my ground a little longer, but I didn't know the repercussions and my husband would kill me if I did anything that would jeopardize our season tickets,” Rosener explained.
“I value free speech,” Rosner added, “and I don't really care if someone is wearing a Kamala Harris hat or T-shirt. I feel part of the issue is that this security guard was clearly biased against my hat.”
However, since Rosener told the media her story, officials with the Arizona Cardinals and State Farm Stadium have said that security “misunderstood the policy regarding prohibited items.”
The team released a statement explaining the error.
In an isolated incident at Sunday's game, stadium security misunderstood our policy regarding prohibited items. Like most venues, we do not allow any signs, posters, flags or displays of a “political nature” – however, that was not the case in this instance. We will endeavor to provide clarity to all stadium personnel in future situations like this. We have also reached out to those involved to let them know their experience did not align with our policies and practices and have offered our apologies.
Many on social media expressed astonishment at the issue.
One X user pointed out that Cardinals owner Mike Bidwell is a big Republican donor.
Another called for security officials to be fired.
A third X user decried the loss of free speech in America today.
A fourth called for a “MAGA hat night” to be held at the stadium.
Many others were equally outraged.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Hustonor the Society of Truth Warner Todd Houston
