Friday, July 10, 2009
Bradford Campeau-Laurion (photo: CBS)
It used to be an unwritten rule at Yankee stadium that when “God Bless America” was played during the seventh-inning stretch, fans were supposed to remain still in honor of the patriotic song. But that supposedly will not be the case any longer after a man from Queens sued the city of New York for getting tossed out of the stadium during a Yankees-Red Sox game for trying to go to the bathroom last summer during the seventh-inning stretch.
Bradford Campeau-Laurion settled his federal lawsuit for $10,001, and as part of the settlement, the Yankees agreed to publicly state they have no policy prohibiting fans from moving about during the playing of “God Bless America.” The American Civil Liberties Union represented Campeau-Laurion, claiming he had been a victim of religious and political discrimination. The settlement stayed clear of the potentially more contentious issue that the police may have acted harshly against Campeau-Laurion because he is a Red Sox fan.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
On Yankee Stadium Restroom Dispute, the City Settles (by Sewell Chan, New York Times)
Campeau-Laurion vs. Raymond Kelly, et al (United States District Court Southern District Of New York)
So, Yankee Stadium Takes This No Moving During “God Bless America” Think Rather Seriously (by AJ Daulerio, Deadspin.com)
Fan Ejected From Yankee Stadium For Bathroom Break (WCBSTV.com)
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