Bucs Fan Says American Flag Got Him Booted From Game

[matcom]

<snip>

TAMPA, Fla. -- A Tampa Bay Buccaneers season ticket holder says he and his family were kicked out of the stadium because he hung an American flag from an upper-deck rail -- something he says he's done since the 2001 terrorist attacks.

But the team said it wasn't the flag that got Ken Hill of Pinellas Park and his friends removed from Raymond James Stadium during Sunday's game, but his belligerence toward the security officers who asked him to remove it. Hill denies mistreating the officers.

Hill, 40, had been hanging the flag from the third-level railing since Sept. 11, 2001. He said that once before was asked to remove the flag, but otherwise he had been allowed to hang it.

"I've even had police officers, when I put the flag up, shake my hand and say thanks," Hill said. "I could understand if it were an ugly banner or a sign painted on a sheet, but for goodness' sakes, this is the American flag."

Jeff Kamis, spokesman for the Buccaneers, said there is a long-standing policy prohibiting banners from being attached to the rails and it is intended to protect fans. Kamis said items attached to rails could fall on fans below or block other fans' views.

<snip>

Meanwhile, an off-duty Temple Terrace police officer working a security detail at the stadium started cutting the flag down. Fans around Hill responded angrily, he said, and someone called the officer a "bin Laden lover." :eyes:

http://www.wftv.com/newsofthestrange/3748455/detail.html

[GOPisEvil]

1. Your federal agents...

"An off-duty U.S. Customs agent from Fort Myers who was attending the game as a fan was arrested after police said he pushed an officer called to help with the flag incident and punched two other officers. Tampa police had to stun him with a Taser before officers could restrain him, police said."

Nice...wouldn't you like to meet THIS agent upon your entry into the country?

[sniffa]

2. what? no "kerry Lover"?

freepers need to staty topicaL.

[jeff30997]

3. "security detail at the stadium started cutting the flag down"

Isn't that illegal to cut the flag ? Just wondering.

[matcom]

4. no

and it says they were cutting it DOWN, not "cutting it"

not "illegal" anyway

[jeff30997]

5. Oops. My mistake.

[MrBenchley]

6. Jeeze, there was ANOTHER thread about that!

We had a DUer as witness!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=145&topic_id=1625

[gpandas]

7. say what you want...

but have you ever been hit by a flag dropping from the upper deck? the horror, the horror!