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Why? He says all he did was try to go to the bathroom while "God Bless America" was played during the 7th inning stretch. His letter reads (plus some updates after the jump):
"I attempted to get up to use the restroom, rather urgently, during the 7th inning stretch as God Bless America was beginning. As I attempted to walk down the aisle and exit my section into the tunnel, I was stopped by a police officer. He informed me that I had to wait until the song was over. I responded that I had to use the restroom and that I did not care about God Bless America."As soon as the latter came out of my mouth, my right arm was twisted violently behind my back and I was informed that I was being escorted out of the stadium. A second officer then joined in and twisted my left arm, also in an excessively forceful manner, behind my back. I informed them they were violating my First Amendment rights and that I had done nothing wrong, with no response from them.
"I was sitting in the Tier Level, and of course this is the highest level of the stadium and I was escorted in this painful manner down the entire length of the stadium. About halfway down, I informed them that they were hurting me, repeated that I had done nothing wrong, and that I was not resisting nor talking back to them. One of them said something to the effect that if I continued to speak, he would find a way to hurt me more.
"When we reached the exit of the stadium, they confiscated my ticket and the first officer shoved me through the turnstiles, saying 'Get the hell out of my country if you don't like it.'The man tells us he's left a message with no response from the Operations Office at Yankee Stadium. He's also contacted Norman Siegel, the ACLU, and filed a complaint with the NYPD Civilian Complaint Review Board. We're still working on getting a response/denial from Yankee stadium, but a regular attendee of Yankee games tells us, "This tip doesn't surprise me at all. Everyone has to stand, just like in school, and you'll get berated and harassed if you don't.""Nowhere on the Yankee Stadium ticket policy nor on any posted sign does it say that forced patriotism is a required element to attend a baseball game. Nowhere in the laws of this country would that begin to be defensible.
"Furthermore, when the two officers returned to their section, Steve who was still in the stadium overhead one of the officers say 'We got to watch ourselves. One day we're really gonna get in trouble.' They were also spreading rumors with a fan with whom they were friendly that I had said 'This country sucks.'
"I do not believe in God, nor am in support of this country to a degree of patriotic fanaticism. The fact that I wanted to use the restroom instead of standing through God Bless America should not be grounds for a forcible ejection from a baseball game."
UPDATE: We just spoke to Brad, whose story is attracting a lot of attention. He has a few comments, based on your reactions:
1) I was not drunk. I had two beers about an hour apart and this was about an hour after my last one (hence, needed to pee). I have receipts to prove this, as I was using my credit card, and my friend who was with me as a witness.Last year, the NY Times looked at this confining policy. Apparently, post September 11, fans had complained that other spectators weren't singing or observing a moment of silence; spokesman Howard Rubenstein told the Times, "Mr. Steinbrenner wanted to do all games to remind the fans about how important it is to honor our nation, our service members, those that died on Sept. 11 and those fighting for our nation."2) Yes, I am Red Sox fan. I have lived in New York for over 8 years and I do not cheer loudly or wear blatant Red Sox attire at the games. In fact, I was dressed in business attire - dress shirt/pants/shoes.
3) I may have affected a little attitude, but nothing that warranted a violent response.
UPDATE, 8/28: The NYPD says it had cause to eject Campeau-Laruion, claiming he was "cursing, using inappropriate language and acting in a disorderly manner." But Campeau-Laruon denies it, "That's ridiculous. That's completely false."
Photo courtesy Wally G.
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I can believe this.
this was started by ghouliani. this is why I dance my jig.....
oops.
Doesn't the combination of religious zeal and nationalism just bring out the best in people?
I'm about to have a full tilt conniption fit if this is true.
Of course, this may not be the entire story... but if true, this is appalling.
Probably Steinbrenner's orders for the Yankee Stadium beat
I am not surprised by your tipster. I've been yelled at numerous times, whether in Tier or Main box, for not removing my hat during the God Bless America thing. Usually it is by drunk dudes wearing jean shorts, never a cop. But somehow, I am just not surprised by this story at all.
The drunk dudes in the jean shorts might very well be cops.
Too bad New York's "Finest" didn't do this to A-Rod "The Cooler" last night before the game.
As usual, George Carlin addressed this best: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuOBf-39t64
This wasn't started by Giuliani. Police have been abusing their powers for a very long time.
As for leaving to use a bathroom during GBA—not a big deal, it's your right to stand for it or to sit. You can also sit and wear a hat for the SSB, although "rude and unpatriotic", it's not illegal, in fact it's your right.
If anyone was being unpatriotic, it was the police that did this.
A jerk in a uniform is still a jerk, we just have to take away the gun, the badge and the paycheck.
@#7 - good point.
i've never seen a cop do this, but it doesn't surprise me. woe unto the soul who doesn't stand up and take off his hat during that song. you'll get booed, harassed, and possibly pelted with trash by other fans.
this is yet another reason why i like the yankees less and less each year. Never mind their recent record of postseason egg-laying; the huge lines for concessions, exorbitant food prices, stale in-game entertainment and hoakey jingoistic stunts like "honoring the men and women of the armed services" by playing that wax cylinder of kate smith singing god bless america.... it's terrible.
worst of all though is the bag policy. women can walk in with any size handbag they want, but if you're a guy and try to bring in a briefcase, you're turned away, forced to pay $10 to check it across the street. I actually tried going in with a small canvas messenger bag and was told no, i can't enter. I said, "please feel free to search it. I'll empty all the contents out into one of those clear plastic bags. "
"no, sorry, doesn't matter."
"but if i were a woman with a purse this size, i could bring it in"
"yes"
"and if i were to just hand this bag to a woman and she were to try to bring it in, you would allow that, correct?"
"yes"
"how is that fair?"
"I don't know , that's just the rules".
the more i think about it, the more i wonder why i'm not a mets fan by now.
If they had baseball games in, say, Saudi Arabia, I bet they would force people to sing "Allah Bless Saudi Arabia". Think about that, you nationalist zealot weirdos who love this song.
PS, Jen/John- i hope you'll post any response you get from the Yankees' PR department.
No.12 That's a sexual discrimination suit right there... just like the ladies night debacle...
I am wary of anything that makes Leni Riefenstahl, Triumph des Willens, and the 1934 Nazi Party Congress in Nuremberg.
mrguy is correct, when you get stuff thrown at you it's usually from above and if you throw back at the wrong party all hell would break loose.
I felt more comfortable at a NASCAR race. and I brought in a cooler full of Busch.
I am wary of anything that makes Leni Riefenstahl, Triumph des Willens, and the 1934 Nazi Party Congress in Nuremberg come to mind.
I believe I was just tapping away on that other thread about how some cops seem to let their personal beliefs and emotions get in the way of their professional performance. It is too bad that "Courtesy, Professionalism, Respect" is such a joke.
Granted, the cops, security and fans are a little mellower at Mets games, but it's still New York so all three have the potential to be total jerkoffs if and whenever they feel like it.
Another reason why the Yankees suck.
"I attempted to get up to use the restroom, rather urgently..."
IOW, he was drunk.. he was probably racing to get catch last call, too. But I still believe him. I seem to recall a story earlier in the year about the stadium being in "lockdown" during GBA.
This would never happen at Shea. Us Mets fans aren't overzealous arrogant assholes as some Yankee fans can be.
Should been you, Lupica.
God bless those brave officers for having the guts to defend this nation from these scum. Love it or leave it pal! USA number one!
Thankfully, in the games I've been to recently at Shea, they didn't play God Bless America. What a dumbass song.
#15- Comparing me to Roy Den Hollander. I see what you did there.
NYPD are scum. Why are any of you acting surprised by this?
I am so sick of people elevating God Bless America. It IS NOT our national anthem. It's a rousing song, sung best by Kate Smith and her gigantic rack. I do stand during the national anthem, mostly out of respect for the people around me, many of whom take it very seriously. But I never stand during GBA.
I'm a Yankees fan and I am sick to death of "God Bless America." I wish they would stop playing it. You know how certain things lose their effectiveness through overuse? This is one of them. It may have been a nice gesture in the months immediately following 9/11, but come on, people, it's been seven years.
That being said: WHEN is the NYPD going to get a grip? Haven't they realized that this entire summer has been one enormous PR nightmare for them? Cops pushing cyclists off their bikes and falsifying reports; cops attacking a man in a road rage incident and sending him to the hospital; cops deciding that people with alternative religious and political beliefs forfeit their right to attend baseball games. I was waiting in a take-out joint for my order not long ago, and the only other customer in the store was a cop, and he was talking to the store owner and spewing the most uninformed nonsense about people with different political views and religious beliefs and lumping entire groups of people in with criminals and terrorists -- while wearing his uniform, and while clearly making the obviously Middle Eastern store owner uncomfortable -- and I did not speak up and call him out on his B.S. and attempt to spare the store owner from humiliation because I did not want to be arrested.
Jeremiah Wright was correct.
If this guy doesn't believe in God, apple pie or America, what the fuck is he doing at a baseball game? Albeit in the cheap seats.
God Bless America (and NYC), indeed.
I hate that song. The last time I went to Yankee Stadium I booed when they started playing it. Amazingly, nothing got chucked at me and I didn't get frog-marched out. This may be because I was sober, and I'm female.
Intelligence is inversely proportional to degrees of patriotism and religion.
I guess no one told him about the Stadium Pal.
Why do I suspect that "I had to use the restroom and that I did not care about God Bless America" came out more like "fuck you, asscrack"?
Amen, citizenerased
God bless america indeed.
He's a Sox fan, to hell with him.
That song sucks.
I wish they'd get rid of it too. Lame religious-y song, makes me feel nothing for America. I'd rather have a regular moment of silence than that song.
They should play "Living In America" instead. Who would get up and leave during the music of Soul Brother Number One?
The terrorists have won the 7th inning stretch.
@Jen S: even if it did sound like "fuck you ass crack" that doesn't make it okay.
I'm a little amazed this guy just let them walk him out, if they tried to throw me out for trying to pee during god bless america I'm pretty sure they would have had to arrest me instead, and we would have been reading this in the post, not as a letter to gothamist.
I gotta agree with Jen S. I call BS on this. First of all, these 'quotes' sound totally made up. This is some whiny NYU kid trying to complain about the big bad police. Second of all, he was probably drunk and or cursed at them. CCRB aint gonna help you pal. Feel fortunate you didnt spend 24 hours locked up with the rest of the perps.
If this is true and that is Yankee stadium policy then I am done with that team. This whole story is hard to believe but if it is true then stadium officials and the security involved should be ashamed of their behavior. Forced patriotism is not the true "American" way.
I've seen them do the same exact thing to people at Shea, but it was while they were trying to go to the bathroom during "Everybody Clap Yo Hands!"
::clap:: ::clap:: ::clap:: ::clap:: ::clap:: ::clap:: ::clap:: ::clap:: ::clap:: ::clap:: ::clap:: ::clap:: ::clap:: ::clap:: ::clap::
i bet the officer would have let go if the guy peed on him. "see? i told you i had to go!" seriously, baseball, god bless america has GOT to GO.
pun was unintentional.
God this country is so fucking backassward and dumb. Since when did these loud rednecks become the majority and every conceivable person with authority?
I don't hate america but I sure am embarrassed by it.
Do you get immunity by wearing a Toronto Blue Jays cap?
mrguy: I've been harassed many times over the size of my (messenger) bag, and I'm female.
I always loudly say "our OIL" over the part when the guy says that the men and women overseas are protecting "our way of life" but now that I know I could get forcibly kicked out for exercising freedom of speech, maybe I'll say it more quietly next time.
If true, this is a clear violation of the First Amendment. You would think that the Yankees and especially New York City would have continuing education or training for these police officers. Personally I stopped going to Yankee games specifically because police officers seem to feel that its open season on disregarding police regulations at these games because they can simply presume everyone is drunk. I am a conservative guy but it irks me to no end that police officers presume that they have the power to dictate what people can and cannot do during the playing of the national anthem. There is no law requiring one to remove one's hat during the national anthem. No law requiring one to stop speaking during the national anthem. No law preventing someone from exiting the stands at Yankee Stadium to urinate (or for any other reason) during the national anthem, or "God Bless America" which has absolutely zero national recognition as an anthem.
As a practical matter, this yutz probably was looking for problems in that he's a Boston fan. Boston fans seem to feel they are immune to laws of courtesy when they visit Yankee Stadium. But that is of no consequence. The fact that a New York City Police Officer initiated a confrontation which apparently resulted in the false imprisonment of an otherwise law abiding invitee of the Yankees based apparently purely on the Police Officer's perception of the licensee's views toward the playing of an anthem clearly violates the First Amendemnt. Period.
I'm sure there may be a deeper story that the guy may not be telling but until we hear one, this officer is an unofficial douchebag as are the Yankees for allowing this shit.
I didn't know that the First Amendment protects you from speech on private property?
So if a KKK rep were to solicit my house, and I told him to leave my stoop and even forcibly removed him, I would be violating his First Amendment right?
When are they bringing back Bat Day? that'll fix eeeeeeeverything.
Ahh, forced patriotism. And you thought you escaped it when you stopped saying the prayer - excuse me - pledge of allegiance.
does this strike anyone else as flamebait?
I don't believe in God, and I think borders (hence "America") are esentially bullshit...
the yankees are a no-class organization from top to bottom. this shouldn't surprise anyone.
gwinny,
have they stopped you from entering and forced you to check your bag at the bowling alley across the street, or just made you empty it out and put it, and its contents, into a plastic bag?
thanks for the little update and additional info,
I did not know Mr. steinbrenner wanted this to be done on all games.
now I know why yankees suck. die steinbrenner.
This would never happen at Shea. Part of the reason is because we don't play that song over 9000 times.
Just another reason to hate the Yankees.
Lets go Mets!
(In before 26 RINGS, HAHAHA you are Mutts fan or my favourite insult "My entire team sucks".)
Just another reason to hate the Yankees.
Exactly Feck Them and the morons who want to
make people goosestep to God Bless America...a song I fecking hate
Yankee stadium has never let me put the contents of my bag into a plastic bag, but rather makes me check it for $10 at the pizza stand or bowling alley. I'd have to agree with Gwinny on this.
It's so frustrating leaving my laptop at a pizza stand and then pretending like the $10 gets it good security and handling. Yes, I bring my laptop to Yankee games because I need it later, not because I'm an idiot.
Thankfully I'm a Mets fan and this is my first summer in a long time not going to a Yankee game. F the pigs, F GBA, F Steinbrenner and his BS patriotism.
Jesus, I really had no sense that this was a mandatory practice implemented by the stadium. Look at the picture in the Times with the usher holding a chain across the aisle. How disgustingly unamerican.
(Now if they could eject people from talking over the opening act at rock shows, I'd be all in favor of it. Maybe whip out the tasers.)
Just another reason why i'll take the West or the Midwest over the East Coast. Good ol' Take Me Out To The Ball Game still rules the day here.
And my team is better.
PTG,
i stand corrected then. I had only my own observations to go on (and that exchange with the security guard in which he flat-out told me that if i were to hand my bag to a woman he would let her in with it), but i guess their security policy towards bags is equally as draconian and absurd for women as for men.
Coincidentally, i am going to the game tomorrow. i will be heading to the bathroom once i hear kate smith peal out from the loudspeakers.
there's more to the story. there's got to be more. Off-duty/on-duty whatever, NYPD are usually dickheads, but I thinks there's more to this one.
I Am going to crap my pants when that song is playing.
Irving Berlin was also embarrassed about that song, thinking it's too sappy. And he wrote it!
fuck him, he's a red sox fan.
Since when is a bad attitude a crime in this country?
That's what I said to a customs officer who thought I had a bad attitude when I felt offended at him calling me by my first name and asking me what I was doing in the United States (MY OWN COUNTRY) "this time."
Weirdly, he then began speaking to me in a Southern accent, like Boss Hogg, though he had been speaking in a perfectly ordinary New York accent till then.
I think a "bad attitude" is very american. Look at our president.
@handsome devil: the chain over the end of the aisle is to prevent people from getting into the $200+ field level seats, not to rope people in during GBA.
This needs to become a high-profile case. These fascist "patriots" are the only thing truly wrong with this country.
Whether or not the guy believes in god, loves or hates America. Everyone has the right to take a piss. That's what this country stands for. Without that it may as well be Iran or China.
I go to lots of Yankee games and usually run to the bathroom in the middle of the seventh because they're always empty at that time. I've never gotten harassed or stopped, but I've gotten some dirty looks.
I choose this time to use the bathroom because there's a longer break with GBA and Take Me Out to the Ballgame being sung and I'd rather not miss any of the game. After all, I paid the ridiculous ticket prices to watch a baseball game, not to sing songs. I don't hate America one bit, but one of the many reasons I like it is because people here usually don't try to tell me when to pee.
There's no First Amendment issue here. You go to Georgie's house and unfortunately have to abide by his ridiculous rules. It's not the government restricting your rights, it's some crazy billionaire that happens to own the joint. But shouldn't there have to be some kind of small print on the ticket informing you that at certain points you will have your movements restricted for reasons that are unrelated to public safety? If you read the rest of the restrictions on the back of your ticket, they seem to cover their ass for a lot of things.
To all you people saying you're never gonna go to a Yankee game again because of this, I respect the sentiment. However, the reason very few of us will be going to Yankee games starting next year has nothing to do with civil liberties. It's because we're not all hedge fund managers and therefore won't be able to afford a night out at that playground for rich folks they're building.
What about people that have digestive diseases, such as Crohn's disease? Are they just supposed to shit their pants? What a joke.
You got what you deserved....
DIGG DIGG DIGG!!
http://digg.com/baseball/Police_Eject_Fan_For_Trying_to_Pee_During_National_Anthem
God Bless America usually induces trips to the toilet. the Yankees are missing an opportunity for some extra revenue: Charge to use the bathrooms, and play that goddamned song.
Greetings from the SFist side of the country.
Damn, I wouldn't expect this at a SF Giants home game, even though the Yankees is our rivals.
The only close experience I've noticed is at the Oakland A's game where throwing a napkin at someone in the all you can eat section is a one way trip with an Oakland Cop or park security. And those security guys are nut cases, watching every little move you make.
But looking at what happens at Yankee stadium is just fucked up.
I've spent several hours pouring over the US constitution and no where does it grant an individual a right to piss. There's something in there about the right to bear arms but not a thing about peeing.
NYPD at it's best again. Off duty no less. I can imagine what these thugs do on their regular tour when they are really in authority packing guns.
They really have to get rid of that CPR slogan. Four out of five fit none of the three key words sorry to say.
@82 -- It's Amendment Number 1.
Don't ask me what Amendment Number 2 covers.
Wait a minute, I thought the "seventh inning stretch" was invented to give you time to get a beer/buy more peanuts/go to the bathroom? I've only noticed the the singing a few times, and then it seemed new to me.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/10/sports/baseball/10stadium.html?_r=3&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&ref=sports&adxnnlx=1219860152-DlFgZe0c8R6kU6s8jv3o2A&oref=slogin
The Yankees have not won the World Series since they started playing "God Bless America" during the 7th inning stretch.
I call that the curse of Kate Smith (and Ronan Tynan)
Hey, you guys should try this in.. China!
I honestly dont know what i hate more, the red sox, red sox fans, or the NYPD. Man...this ones tough!
"God Bless America" is not our national anthem. I don't wear my Yankees hat at the stadium anymore because I won't take it off for any song other than our anthem and people do give you looks and make comments.
God Bless America is not our national anthem.
Our national anthem is "Bombs Over Baghdad" by Outkast.
Either that or we should all stand up and shout "Giet 'er duuun!!" at the same time during the 7th inning.
"I've spent several hours pouring over the US constitution and no where does it grant an individual a right to piss. "
The Constitution doesn't grant rights, that's probably why you couldn't find anything.
Personally, I don't want a God the blesses America.
And this furthermore proof that the Yankee organization is are fascists pieces of S.
GO METS!
Everybody needs to start trying to leave to piss, sit, or just ignore any convention during "God Bless America." Do this especially if you are near cops. Stand up for your rights! Oh, and have you friend videoing what happens. Post to YouTube. Wait to hear from lawyers.
Let's look on the bright side. At least this won't be a problem for the playoffs.
Disgraceful and embarrassing. This sort of crap makes this lifelong Yankees fan never want to support the organization again. Those who cite the lack of First Amendment rights on private property may need to be reminded that Yankee Stadium is not private property, it is owned by the City of New York, not the Yankees.
"The Constitution doesn't grant rights, that's probably why you couldn't find anything."
@91:
The Constitution does indeed grant rights. The Bill of Rights are the first ten amendments to the Constitution.
I have been a fan of the Yankees since the 50's. Growing up in Dallas, I was a huge Mickey Mantle fan and wore his number for my many many years of playing baseball. Since Mickey was a switch hitter, I even taught myself how to switch hit while still in little league. I was the only little league player who could do this. I've carried the love of Yankee's baseball with me ever since. That is, until today and learning about this event. I will now NEVER be able to support the Yankees or speak kindly about them for the rest of my life. This behavior is a sad commentary not only on the Yankees but on New York City itself. New York will never be looked on again with favorable eyes due to idiocies taking place like this. I pity your city's populace.
The NYPD says the guy was being an ass. I have left during the anthem to pee and it's never been an issue. This story is so bogus.
Wow this whole thing is pretty fucked up but not surprizing. I can remember a couple months ago I was walking out of a restaraunt with my father talking politics, when we were crossing the road I said something about how america can be so fucked up sometimes refering to the oil crisis. As I was saying that someone driving by heard me and just went off saying get out of my country terrorist. I chased down their car while yelling at them but they just sped off running a stop sign. some people get a little out of hand sometimes!
Just felt there should be a 100th comment...