Former Viking Chris Kluwe calls MAGA a "Nazi movement" before being arrested at city council meeting
Police arrested former Vikings punter Chris Kluwe on Tuesday after he spoke out against a southern California city's decision to display a plaque that spells out "MAGA" — an acronym synonymous with President Trump.
A video posted to X shows Kluwe being carried out by police at a Huntington Beach City Council meeting.
Kluwe had been protesting the city's decision to display a plaque that features the words "Magical," "Alluring," "Galvanizing" and "Adventurous."
"Unfortunately, it is clear this council does not listen, so instead, I'm going to take my time to say what MAGA has stood for these past three weeks," Kluwe said. "MAGA stands for trying to erase trans people from existence. MAGA stands for resegregation and racism."
Since his inauguration nearly a month ago, Mr. Trump has signed multiple executive orders targeting transgender people, most recently one banning transgender athletes from women's sports. One order asserts the federal government recognizes only two sexes — male and female — and that "these sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality," and another aims to restrict transgender people from serving in the military.
Kluwe went on to criticize the president for recent mass firings and budget cuts.
"MAGA stands for firing air traffic controllers while planes are crashing. MAGA stands for firing the people overseeing our nuclear arsenal," he said. "MAGA stands for firing military veterans and those serving them at the VA, including canceling research on veteran suicide. MAGA stands for cutting funds to education, including for disabled children."
The Trump administration has moved aggressively to fire federal employees in various agencies, including at the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Education and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Forest Service. While Kluwe mentioned the firing of air traffic controllers, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says no air traffic controllers or critical safety personnel were let go.
"MAGA is profoundly corrupt, unmistakably anti-democracy, and, most importantly, MAGA is explicitly a Nazi movement. You may have replaced a swastika with a red hat, but that is what it is," Kluwe said.
He then announced he was going to commit "civil disobedience" and began to walk toward the councilmembers before being tackled by police officers and placed in handcuffs, video shows.
The Orange County Register reports Kluwe was released from police custody about four hours later.
Kluwe played football for the University of California-Los Angeles before joining the NFL, playing for the Vikings from 2005-2012. He claims he was released from the Vikings due to his political beliefs and support for same-sex marriage.
