Posted on 10/13/2005 2:15:49 PM PDT by Hadean
TAMPA - When the Buccaneers instituted a policy requiring all fans to be patted down for weapons before entering Raymond James Stadium, the American Civil Liberties Union vowed to file suit. Thursday, they followed up on that threat.
A lawsuit, filed on behalf of a season ticket holder, seeks to immediately stop officials from conducting what the ACLU calls the "suspicionless" pat-down searches.
According to the ACLU, fan Gordon Johnston inquired about canceling his season tickets after he learned that the searches would be implemented. But the team would not refund the nearly $900 for his tickets.
Now, Johnson and the ACLU are asking the court to declare the pat-down policy in violation of the state constitution.
"Football fans should not be forced to surrender our constitutional rights as the price of admission to the stadium," said Johnston is quoted as saying in a statement released by the ACLU.
The pat-down policy was approved with some hesitation by the Tampa Sports Authority last month before the team's first home game. At the time, the NFL told the community that RayJay was the only stadium not conducting the searches. Since then, however, the Cincinnati Bengals announced that they would not be performing the searches at their home games after state officials questioned the legality of the pat-downs.
the ACLU sees the Bill of Rights as an instrument of National Suicide. They never miss a chance to implement their goals of destroying America.
I guess the NFL official has never been to a NY Giants home game.
ACLU PING!
Since when does the feds have a say in Private Security Policy, and for a sports game for cripes sake!
The fan doesn't want the security folks to find his flask.
I associate patdown activity AFTER being arrested. This is, arrested for a certain crime.
Heck If it was nt for pat down searchs id nevere have any fun
Not counting the feds. But what if the Park was built using city tax payer money?
Heck If it was nt for pat down searchs id nevere have any fun I giggle like a little school girl
This case should be thrown out early in the process. Nobody is subject to mandatory search. Only those chosing to submit to search in order to get into a crowded football stadium. Supply and demand says that if enough people stay home because of the search policy.... the policy will change :)
Hey, I LIKE the pat-downs. Its the main part of my sex-life.
I WORK at Lincoln Financial Field and even we have to go through pat-downs to get in. The only things that are bombed at game time are the fans!
I wonder if anyone patted down the Oklahoma suicide bomber?
Page me back when you find your sense of humor.
I experienced the “pat down” at the Texans game last weekend. It was no big deal, lasted about 1 second. Clearly they were looking for items around the chest/waist area.
I still think I am due a refund because of the Texans’ performance on the field.
Since Brown vs. Board of Education, pretty much.
p.
What "right" is being violated and who does the patdowns?
Has anybody been arrested as the result of a patdown?
If he refuses the search, he should be refunded his ticket price.
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