Former NFL punter Chris Kluwe found himself at the center of controversy after being arrested in California. Kluwe, who played in the NFL from 2005 to 2013, spent most of his career with the Minnesota Vikings. Known for his outspoken views on social issues, Kluwe claimed that his activism, particularly his support for same-sex marriage, led to his release from the Vikings.
This Tuesday, Kluwe was arrested in Huntington Beach after disrupting an assembly by protesting a tribute to the Maga movement. He was charged with disrupting an assembly but released after four hours in custody. The protest centered around a controversial plaque at a local library, which bore the words "Magical, Alluring, Galvanizing and Adventurous," confirmed as a reference to Maga.
Kluwe argued that the Maga movement sought to erase trans people, reintroduce segregation, and fire military veterans and those overseeing the nuclear arsenal. In a statement, he remarked,
“Maga is profoundly corrupt, unmistakably anti-democracy and most importantly, Maga is explicitly a Nazi movement,” – Chris Kluwe
Earlier this week, Kluwe attended a Huntington Beach city council meeting to voice his concerns over the plaque. All seven members of the city council are conservatives. In a bold move, Kluwe expressed his intention to
“engage in the time-honored American tradition of peaceful civil disobedience” – Chris Kluwe
before taking to the stage at the meeting. His actions elicited mixed reactions from the audience. One person shouted for him to
“get the heck out” – (unattributed, spoken by an unknown person at the meeting)
while others cheered, laughed, and applauded his words.
Kluwe's arrest highlights his continued commitment to activism beyond his football career. He emphasized his readiness to face consequences for his beliefs, stating,
“I felt that this was something important that needed to come out and if that’s the price I have to pay, then that’s the price I have to pay,” – Chris Kluwe