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Dodgers security gives fan hard time over Canadian flag?

Monday, June 11, 2007

During Saturday night's contest between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers, a security guard attempted to confiscate a Canadian flag from a fan. That provoked an angry confrontation with about 100 local expats attending the game, according to the TORONTO STAR.

The flag waver was Lee Fraser, a 29-year-old native of Pembroke, Ont., who works in L.A. in the entertainment business. As he showed his national pride during the sixth inning, a single security staffer demanded he hand over his Maple Leaf. When Fraser refused, the guard found himself facing a pocket of Canadian indignation.

"The whole crew went crazy," Fraser said. "They sent down three or four security guards, the LAPD. Because, you know, Canadians are such a big threat."

"Suddenly, it's about defending your honour and your flag," Dodgers vice-president of stadium operations Lon Rosenberg said yesterday. "You're touching something that's very emotional. If it was our flag, it'd be the same way."

Rosenberg, who arrived on the scene near the end of the incident, defended the guard's actions. He noted the Dodgers' Fan Code of Conduct prohibits "signs or banners of any kind."