Posted at 2:12 p.m., Tuesday, November 20, 2007
NFL: N.J. lawmaker wants halftime harassment stopped
By ANGELA DELLI SANTI
Associated Press Writer
Some fans gather on a pedestrian ramp at halftime and urge women to expose their breasts, The New York Times reported today. When a woman obliges — as one did at Gate D on Sunday during the game against Pittsburgh — the crowd roars in approval.
New Jersey Senate President Dick Codey called for an investigation by the heads of the state police and the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, which runs the stadium and provides security during games.
Codey said in a statement that Gate D apparently stands for "drunk and disgusting." He added that intimidation and obscenities have no place at sports events, and violators should have their tickets taken away and be removed from the stadium.
The Jets termed the behavior by the fans as "outrageous and unacceptable" and demanded the authority take steps to prevent this from happening again.
The authority "has assured us that they will address this conduct at all Meadowlands events," Matt Higgins, the Jets' senior vice president-business operations, said in a statement. "We will not allow a small minority of people to ruin the experience for our fans and will be monitoring the situation."
Sports and Exposition Authority President George Zoffinger did not immediately return a call.
During Sunday's halftime, about 10 security guards in yellow jackets stood at the bottom of the circular, multilevel ramp, but did not move to stop the crowd of fans, the Times reported.
State police Sgt. Stephen Jones said troopers and security guards already are doing their jobs.
"Where people have been caught exposing themselves, they have been evicted from the stadium and often arrested," Jones told the AP. "Where other fans exhibit dangerous or illegal behaviors including harassment, they have been dealt with in similar fashion."
