New Jersey Democratic powerhouse George E. Norcross III is considering a lawsuit against the Philadelphia Eagles and the National Football League after he was removed from Lincoln Financial Field and thrown out of the stadium for displaying banners of the American and Israeli flags outside his box during last night’s game.
Stadium security entered Norcross’s box and escorted him out, taking Norcross’ flag with them. After moving him around the stadium, with a stop in a security office, one of the most powerful political insiders in New Jersey – and a devoted Eagles fan – was ejected.
“Yesterday, I was forcibly removed and assaulted by the non-police security staff of Lincoln Financial Field and the Eagles/NFL for refusing to remove a 3′ x5′ American and Israeli flag I’d hung off the box I was sitting in,” Norcross said. “As a longtime passionate fan and season ticket holder, I have watched the Eagles/NFL make clear and strong statements on numerous important civil justice issues and ethnic and world conflicts, including supporting the people of Ukraine, so as a strong supporter of Israel – a country which was viciously attacked by the terrorist group Hamas less than a month ago – I thought it was an important statement to make.”
Norcross has been a longtime supporter of Israel. A similar banner was displayed at his tailgate event in the parking lot earlier in the day.
Lincoln Financial Field does not permit non-event related signs and banners, and reserves the right to confiscate those signs.
“It remains unclear why the Eagles/NFL believe that the US-Israeli flag should be deemed ‘obscene or indecent’ or otherwise inappropriate — which is what I was cited for — and should therefore be ripped down despite both issuing public statements strongly supporting Israel following the October 7th attacks,” said Norcross. “But as I consider whether to file suit against the Philadelphia Eagles, the NFL and the security company which yanked me out of the box and paraded me in front of thousands of fans, I urge other supporters of Israel to make their feelings known to the team and the NFL just as they have to universities like Penn and Harvard.”
Norcross doubled down on his support of Israel.
“There is no dispute: On October 7th, Hamas murdered innocent Israeli civilians, raped woman and butchered children, and continues to hold hostages,” he said. “I believe Israel has the right to defend itself, just as the United States did following the September 11th attacks and I will remain a proud and vocal defender of its right to do so. Americans have the right to peacefully protest, but that does not include the right to threaten people with bodily harm or even death.”
In a subsequent statement, Norcross derided a “silly and transparent attempt to deflect attention from their tearing down a flag supporting the United States and Israel following the Oct 7th attacks by Hamas.”
“The video is clear there was no ‘physical abuse’ by me and there were fifteen people in the box who were witnesses, including several licensed members of law enforcement, who can confirm there was no physical abuse by me. In fact, the only abuse at all is when the Eagles/NFL security force assaulted me and arm locked me behind my back,” Norcross said. “Regarding verbal abuse, for sure I was extremely angry that the team would physically treat people this way and that the Eagles/NFL leadership wouldn’t show the same support for Israel as it has shown other civil rights issues and ethnic and world conflicts. We need people to stand up and speak clearly that Hamas’s murder of civilians, women and children is unacceptable.”
A statement from the Eagles on Monday evening said that “Norcross’ removal fropm the stadium had nothing to do with the content of his sign.”
“Our stadium policies expressly prohibit signage containing any kind of nongame messaging to be hung from a stadium suite. Stadium staff repeatedly asked Mr. Norcross to remove the sign he hung outside of the suite,” the Eagles said. “Instead of complying with the request, Mr. Norcross became physically and verbally abusive. Mr. Norcross was ejected from the stadium only after his abuse toward staff members continued. He was escorted from the suite level to the stadium’s ejection point, just as anyone else would be after engaging in abusive behavior in violation of stadium policy.”
This story was updated at 5:45 PM with a statement from the Eagles.