The 4th of July should’ve been a more exciting affair than it turned out to be for Bruce Martin. The photographer and fan of the LA Galaxy should have been celebrating his team’s first home game since May 31. Instead, a series of events since that game led to his indefinite ban from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson.
“The ban letter says that I was in possession of an unapproved banner, specifically dimension-wise,” explains Martin, who shared the ban letter on Instagram, “and that I used my media credential to sneak it into the stadium.”
Martin maintains his innocence and shared photos of his camera bag as proof. The bag still has the bag check wristband placed on all bags checked by security at the stadium entrance for media members.
Galaxy spokesperson Jamie Alvarez provided the following statement concerning the events of the game:
Following our match on July 4th, we banned an individual for the misuse of a credential. Issuing a credential is one of the highest privileges we give our Supporters Groups. Over the past few weeks, we've had multiple one-on-one conversations and small group meetings with the leadership of all the LA Galaxy Supporters Groups, including Angel City Brigade. We worked closely with Angel City Brigade to have one banner and a TIFO approved by both us and the League, reassured them regularly of our commitment to safety, and worked on safety plans with them for their silent protest and walkout to ensure they felt heard and seen. We have a responsibility to all fans and staff to adhere to the MLS Fan Code of Conduct. This individual bypassed those procedures and used his credential to bring in an unapproved banner. While we know fans may bring in unapproved banners this is the first time that to our knowledge, a non-employee with credential access has used their credential to deliberately circumvent stadium protocols. The abuse of that access is a serious breach of trust. As part of our regular process, an indefinite ban was issued while we reviewed the situation and his case.
The banner, pictured above, is critical of the team’s ownership group for staying silent during ICE’s siege of L.A. The Galaxy’s crosstown rivals Los Angeles Football Club published a statement on its official accounts on June 8. L.A.-based Angel City FC of the National Women’s Soccer League also published a statement that weekend. Meanwhile, Martin and other Galaxy fans waited for their team to do the same, but a statement or action from the team never came and has yet to be made more than one month later.
“We have not issued a statement,” says Alvarez. "We recognize the impact that recent events and actions have had on our community. For decades, we have honored the rich backgrounds, cultures, and experiences of our fans and staff. Our purpose as a professional sports organization is to unite and support our community around a shared love of this sport. We are focusing on prioritizing the safety, well-being, and sense of belonging for our staff and for our fans.”
Fans took matter into their own hands by publishing their own statements and raising money for nonprofits involved in supporting immigrants. Supporter group Angel City Brigade, of which Martin has been a member of for 12 years and sat on the group’s board years ago, published a statement on their social media on June 10. The group also raised money for CHIRLA, Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef) and Border Kindness by selling a t-shirt that featured art based on a photo Martin took during a raid by ICE in Chinatown.
Martin and ACB president Gloria Jiménez were interviewed by the L.A. Times about the fund drive in a story that also covered the game-day protests at Dignity Park on July 4. The protests included numerous unauthorized banners and signs critical of the current presidential administration, ICE and the aforementioned sign critical of AEG, which had been hung up in the stadium’s tailgate area. Video footage shows dozens of fans walking out at the 12th minute of the match as part of their protest.
“I personally believe that [the ban] is retaliation for the LA Times interview that both myself and ACB president [Jiménez] did,” says Martin. He explained that a member of the team’s front office called him that night after the game ended. This member informed him that Galaxy PR staff were concerned about any coverage or statements critical of the team.
“We didn’t completely rip into the team or name certain people by name or anything like that,” says Martin. “We just displayed our frustration with the club being quiet.”
Martin received the ban letter days after the game. The letter accuses him of “being in possession of an unapproved banner which exceeds the approved dimensions” and also accuses him of using his media credentials to bring the banner inside the stadium.
“This whole time, every single post, reply, comment, everything I’ve made has been refuting the whole notion that I used my media credential to take it into the stadium because I 100% did not take it into the stadium,” explains Martin who is currently appealing the ban. “My whole point is how on earth would I sneak in a roughly nine-by-six banner in this tiny photographer bag? And how would security not see it? That’s what I’ve been fighting against the entire time.”
“There’s been people that have been in multiple fights that have never received an indefinite ban,” he adds. “My supposed sneaking in a banner got an indefinite ban, yet people who are actually causing potential bodily harm don’t get an indefinite ban. To me, and to a lot of people, that just makes zero sense.”
The team’s silence speaks volumes in light of multiple events personal to Galaxy fans and supporter groups. ACB cancelled a road trip to support the Galaxy against the San Jose Earthquakes in solidarity with other fans who have stayed home due to their fear of ICE raids. Martin recalls seeing a video of an older man in his 50s or 60s who was tackled and piled on by a group of ICE agents. The unnamed man was wearing an LA Galaxy hat.
And on July 12, fans raised a banner once again slamming the team for its silence, this time after a Galaxy fan named Nestor was detained by ICE.
“Someone got picked up in an ICE raid,” said Martin, who was contacted by text by another fan about the incident. “Me and the person that texted me, we’re sending their family resources. We contacted ImmDef, the Immigrant Defense Law Center. They sent us a bunch of resources. We’re doing everything we can to help the person that was picked up and their family.”
The fans will maintain their silent protest for the foreseeable future, extending to tonight's big rivalry match against LAFC at their stadium. On the morning of July 17, ACB shared on their social media accounts that neither they nor the Galaxy Outlawz and the Galaxians, who together make up the Victoria Block contingent of supporter groups at Dignity Park, will attend the game.
Protesting is nothing new for fans of the Galaxy. Last year, their coordinated protests successfully forced the team’s front office to remove then-president Chris Klein after years of failing to win a trophy. The change led to the team winning its historic sixth league title months later.
No one is sure what the end result will be of this current protest, but if recent history is a guide, it can only lead to positive change.
The LA Galaxy visits BMO Stadium to face off against LAFC tonight at 7:30 p.m.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated on July 20 to include statements from the LA Galaxy.
