Major League Soccer Struggles With Free Speech as Fans Protest Trump's Immigration Policies
Recent protests at MLS matches and the ensuing bans for some fans have put the league in a delicate position, balancing tolerance and enforcement.
Americans' discontent over the Trump administration's immigration policies is spilling into professional sports, forcing teams to walk a fine line between allowing fan speech and enforcing league rules.
Last week, Bruce Martin, an L.A. Galaxy fan and professional photographer, was indefinitely banned from L.A. Galaxy games and Dignity Health Sports Park—the Galaxy's stadium—for using game day credentials given to him by the team to bring in an unapproved banner during a July 4 match. The banner read "AEG Loves Immigrant Dollars But Not Immigrants." (Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) owns the Galaxy and the stadium.)
While some people have said Martin's ban was because of the anti-AEG banner, Jamie Alvarez, the Galaxy's vice president of public relations and communications, confirmed the ban was for "the misuse of a credential," in a statement to Reason. Alvarez mentioned the team has had "multiple one-on-one conversations and small group meetings with the leadership of all the LA Galaxy Supporters Groups, including Angel City Brigade," a Galaxy support group, and had worked closely to "have one banner and a TIFO approved by both us and the League."
Alvarez was also adamant that the Galaxy view the credential misuse as "a serious breach of trust." "As part of our regular process," she added, "an indefinite ban was issued while we reviewed the situation and his case." While Martin reached out to inquire about the review process, he did not request a formal review of his ban. After Martin posted the letter from the team explaining his ban on his Instagram, L.A. Galaxy staff have reportedly been "harassed, intimidated, and threatened online, over-the-phone, and in-person," leading to additional bans and canceled tickets, according to a team source.
Martin's suspension comes after the Chicago Fire Football Club banned three fans—Nate Cubeta, Edith Lopez, and Julio Lopez—for 12 months after they displayed a banner that criticized Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a June 28 game, according to Book Club Chicago. The banner, which read "FIRE FANS CONTRA ICE," depicted a soccer player urinating on the letters "ICE." Cubeta said the banner was displayed without objection for two matches before a request was made for its removal.
Despite the seemingly innocuous nature of these banners, the Chicago Fire and L.A. Galaxy determined that the fans violated the league's code of conduct, which states that MLS and its clubs have the right to prohibit any conduct or display, including "displaying signs, symbols or images for commercial purposes or for electioneering, campaigning or advocating for or against any candidate, political party, legislative issue, or government action," which would include federal immigration enforcement. In Martin's case, the L.A. Galaxy said his banner exceeded "the approved dimensions per the stadium's policies," and that fans must display passion "in a responsible manner that is in accordance with the LA Galaxy and MLS code of conduct."
To its credit, unlike other professional sports leagues, the MLS and its teams have broadly refrained from using their institutional power to curtail fan speech. For instance, on June 8, Los Angeles Football Club supporters prominently displayed an "ABOLISH ICE" banner during a home match. Austin Football Club fans did the same during a game on June 14. Neither incident resulted in bans.
In Martin's case, the L.A. Galaxy may have been right to institute a ban given his choice to misuse the credentials provided to him by Galaxy staff. While the Chicago Fire had the right to ban the three fans for their code violation, a warning or confiscation of the banners would be a more proportionate response, removing the distraction while allowing fans to enjoy the event.
However, fear of reprisal may also be driving some teams' swift actions to quell political speech. With a presidential administration that has shown no hesitancy in targeting perceived enemies, teams may eschew public support to avoid antagonizing the White House. With the Trump administration's immigration crackdown unlikely to end anytime soon, fans will continue protesting these policies. The MLS and its teams will need to determine what type of fan speech is permitted and what warrants disciplinary action.
