This Trump supporter is taking part in hardball with the New York Mets.
Aura Moody needs $2 million in damages from the workforce and Citi Area, claiming she was barred from getting into the stadium final month till she took off her “Make America Nice Once more” hat, in response to a Sept. 6 Brooklyn Federal Courtroom lawsuit.
The Republican from Saint Albans, Queens, insisted the ban violated her proper to free speech and precipitated her “emotional misery.”
“This nation is meant to be the beacon of freedom for all,” Moody, 64, who’s representing herself, informed The Submit.
She’s accusing the Mets of “racial discrimination and political retaliation” and “reputational hurt.”
Moody, a social employee and mom of two, stated she and her pal have been sporting MAGA hats after they arrived at Citi Area on Aug. 14 for a Mets-Oakland A’s recreation.
They have been with eight different members of the Queens Village Republican Membership.
They’d simply made it previous safety when a Citi Area staffer informed them they weren’t allowed inside with their Trump gear on, she stated.
Moody stated she tried to invoke her First Modification rights a number of instances however was informed by the staffer that the MAGA cap was “too political” and she or he wanted to take it off.
Moody and her pal — who’re each on the board of the membership — solely agreed to take their hats off as a result of they have been anxious about inconveniencing the remainder of their group, who have been already of their seats.
Moody “tried to de-escalate the scenario” and requested if she may put her MAGA hat in her bag, however was informed, “No as a result of you’ll be able to put the hat again on once you get to your seat. It’s a must to take the MAGA hat out of the Stadium,” in response to court docket papers.
Moody “knew she was being racially focused and politically retaliated in opposition to for being a Black lady sporting a MAGA hat, so she requested to talk to a supervisor,” she stated within the authorized submitting.
When Moody requested the safety supervisor if she was required to take her MAGA hat exterior Citi Area, the supervisor replied, “That’s the coverage.”
So the 2 girls have been compelled to name the pal they carpooled with with a purpose to put the hats again within the car, Moody claimed.
When Moody “lastly arrived at her seat, she noticed White individuals sporting MAGA hats and MAGA apparel” — different members of her group, she stated within the litigation.
“A Mets worker was mistaken about our apparel coverage,” the workforce initially stated.
“We’re reaching out to Aura Moody to apologize and invite her again to the ballpark.”
The go well with acknowledges {that a} workforce rep phoned Moody Aug. 17 and “apologized on behalf of the New York Mets,” and guaranteed her that “there isn’t any such coverage in opposition to sporting a MAGA hat, and the Workers has been retrained.”
The Mets haven’t any touch upon the lawsuit, stated Nancy Elder, a workforce spokeswoman.
Moody informed The Submit she has not returned to Citi Area because the MAGA hat fiasco and isn’t positive if she ever will.
“It was embarrassing. It was heartbreaking. It was stunning. It was humiliating. So how can I am going again? It could take a while,” she stated.
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