Unruly Fans At NFC Championship Face Ouster From Candlestick Park
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS/AP) -- Don't yell, don't swear, don't flip the bird—and don't insult anyone's mother.
The San Francisco 49ers and the NFL have adopted extraordinary security measures for Sunday's NFC championship against the New York Giants after New Orleans Saints fans complained of harassment by unruly 49ers faithful during last week's nail-biting 36-32 playoff win by the 49ers.
More security cameras and undercover police officers will be in place to identify abusive fans. San Francisco undercover police will be dressed in Giants' garb and on the lookout for unruly fans, and Giants ticketholders will be handed a card as they enter with details on how to contact police if they feel threatened. Season ticketholders have been warned to follow the NFL Fan Code of Conduct.
Authorities said they don't want a repeat of the threats and harassment that New Orleans Saints fans complained about after last weekend's playoff game. The nail-biting 36-32 win for the 49ers was the team's first playoff game in nine years, and a raucous crowd was on hand to enjoy the victory at the expense of the Saints.
"I apologize for any rudeness that may have happened," San Francisco 49ers president and CEO Jed York.
NFL security director Jeff Miller told the AP that if the security cameras or undercover police catch abusive fan behavior, they will be yanked from the stadium.
"We'll be looking early on to identify people trying to do those things in the parking areas and take action to remove them," said Miller, who will be at the game. "We're not going to be warning people inside the stadium. They will be removed."
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