The New York Mets and Citi Field have been sued for $2 million in damages for allegedly banning a woman from the stadium unless she removed her MAGA hat.
Aura Moody, a Republican from Saint Albans, Queens, said the ban violated her freedom of speech and caused her “emotional distress.”
“This country is supposed to be the beacon of freedom for all,” Moody told the New York Post.
Trump fan sues Mets for $2M over MAGA hat ban at Citi Field: ‘Emotional distress’ https://t.co/jPNQs8BOOE pic.twitter.com/7CxT4GfS33
— New York Post (@nypost) September 21, 2024
From the New York Post:
She’s accusing the Mets of “racial discrimination and political retaliation” and “reputational harm.”
Moody, a social worker and mother of two, said she and her friend were wearing MAGA hats when they arrived at Citi Field on Aug. 14 for a Mets-Oakland A’s game.
They were with eight other members of the Queens Village Republican Club.
ADVERTISEMENTThey had just made it past security when a Citi Field staffer told them they were not allowed inside with their Trump gear on, she said.
Moody said she tried to invoke her First Amendment rights multiple times but was told by the staffer that the MAGA cap was “too political” and she needed to take it off.
Moody and her pal — who are both on the board of the club — only agreed to take their hats off because they were worried about inconveniencing the rest of their group, who were already in their seats.
CENSORSHIP: Should political speech from conservatives receive the same protection as speech from Black Lives Matter, Trans Activists, or Palestinian Sympathizers?
Aura Moody thinks so. The Republican from Saint Albans, Queens, has filed a $2 million lawsuit against the Mets… pic.twitter.com/VHNoKod5gi
— @amuse (@amuse) September 21, 2024
In a separate piece, a pair of New York Post reporters tested their treatment at Citi Field if they wore attire supporting President Trump or Kamala Harris.
Post reporters attend Mets game wearing Trump MAGA hat and pro-Kamala gear – here’s how they were treated at Citi Field https://t.co/b6elhDbIPp pic.twitter.com/s31ZLlW4ns
— New York Post (@nypost) September 21, 2024
The New York Post reports:
Many staffers who bleed blue and orange were thrilled to see MAGA red.
“Ayy, make America great again! I love it!” one security guard told the Trump-garbed scribe at the stadium entrance before letting her skip the process of having her bag checked.
The Harris-dressed reporter received a chillier welcome, with security saying he would have to leave his backpack at a mobile locker outside before entering the stadium.
ADVERTISEMENTOther staffers throughout the ballpark gave positive, unprompted comments about the bright red political symbolism.
“Oh, a Trump supporter? Don’t worry, me too,” a young concessionaire said, before handing over a generous pile of french fries and a hot dog.
Not everyone, however, was thrilled by the purported Trumper.
“The political apparel’s acceptance was an about-face from just a few weeks prior, when Trump diehard Aura Moody, 64, claimed she and a friend weren’t allowed to enter the ballpark with their MAGA hats,” the New York Post noted.
“A Mets employee was mistaken about our attire policy,” the team said in August, according to the outlet.
The lawsuit follows the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals apologizing to a fan due to an incident at State Farm Stadium that led her to tossing her MAGA hat into the garbage.
NFL Team Apologizes To Fan For Making Her Toss MAGA Hat Into Garbage
This is a Guest Post from our friends over at 100 Percent Fed Up.
Join the conversation!
Please share your thoughts about this article below. We value your opinions, and would love to see you add to the discussion!