Arizona Cardinals security personnel prevented a Donald Trump supporter from entering the State Farm Stadium on Sunday over the “Make America Great Again” hat she wore. Instead of allowing her to take off the hat, the woman was forced to throw it in the garbage in order to enter Sunday’s game.
Right-wing activist Alyssa Goncales (Turning Point Action field representative, Greater Phoenix Republican Women vice president) shared the third-hand account in a viral tweet tagging the Arizona football team.
Goncales said that “a friend of a friend” was only allowed to enter the football stadium if she threw her black MAGA hat in the trash.
“The security guard then proceeded to get very confrontational and told her she wasn’t going to be allowed to go in no matter if she took it off or not,” said Goncales. “The only way she was allowed in was if the security guard watched her throw her hat in the trash!”
A friend of friend went to the @AZCardinals game yesterday in her very tasteful black Make America Great Again hat. As she goes to enter the stadium a female security guard proceeds to stop her and tell her she can’t enter the stadium with her hat.
The security guard then… pic.twitter.com/5nLeYTKUgI
— Alyssa Goncales (@AlyssaGoncales) September 16, 2024
Others also reported that they witnessed others wearing pro-Trump gear face similar denials of entry to the game.
“Yes the one I saw was a guy! Probably a 30s slim white dude wearing a red Maga hat with 45/47 on the side,” said one user. “Security stopped him through the metal detection area and told him the hat isn’t coming in.”
“I was in the same security line as him and watched it happen. Staff was professional but told him there was no way he was getting inside with the hat,” said another user.
In an interview with Arizona Sports News, the woman — identified as “Susan” — reported that a State Farm Stadium security guard was yelling in her face over the hat. She reported having complied with the guard’s ultimatum that she either throw her hat in the trash or leave the stadium. Susan also sought out as security supervisor, who confirmed that “no political items” could be inside the game.
According to Arizona Sports News, the Cardinals’ head of security later contacted Susan about the incident.
“According to them, the policy regarding political clothing was not intended to target items like Susan’s hat, which they consider family-friendly, but rather to prevent inappropriate or offensive political items,” stated Arizona Sports News.
Cardinals Fan Forced to discard MAGA Hat to Enter Game: Interview with Susan.
Susan attended the Cardinals game with her husband on Sunday. As she approached security, she heard someone yell, “You cannot bring that hat in.” Initially, Susan and her husband thought the security…
— 🌵 Mr. Az (@MrAzSports) September 17, 2024
“Political items” or “political clothing” are absent from the Cardinals’ stadium policy list of prohibited items. The prohibited items list only bans indecent or obscene clothing, as well as inappropriate or hazardous items.
The Arizona Cardinals issued a statement to 12 News on Tuesday apologizing publicly for the incident. The Cardinals promised to apologize to Susan.
“A stadium security misunderstood the policy on prohibited items. Their policy applies to signage, posters, flags or displays that are political in nature,” said the team. “The Cardinals are working to reach out to Susan to apologize.”
Another user mentioned in the replies that the State Farm Stadium manager clarified in a phone call that the MAGA hat shouldn’t have been prohibited, only gear displaying political candidates’ names. That policy wasn’t included on the list of prohibited items, either.
I called the manager at State Farm Stadium myself to get clarity on the policy and let her know this had happened and that the woman it happened to may be calling her. I was told that if the hat would have said “Biden” or “Trump”, or any other candidates name, that this is not…
— Todd Headlee (@ToddHeadleeAZ) September 16, 2024
