Eagles respond after George Norcross gets removed from game at Lincoln Financial Field

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The Philadelphia Eagles have responded after Democratic power broker George Norcross says he was thrown out of Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys for displaying an American-Israeli flag over a suite wall at Lincoln Financial Field.

The team says Norcross was ejected for becoming "physically and verbally abusive" toward stadium staff.

Norcross claimed that he was asked to leave because he refused to take the flag down.

Eagles officials say they have a stadium policy that states signs with any "kind of non-game messaging" cannot be hung from stadium suites.

Norcross said in an earlier statement that he would be considering legal action after this incident.

Read the Eagles' full statement below:

The Philadelphia Eagles reaffirm our stance again condemning the horrific and brutal Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel on October 7th.

"The tragic loss of innocent lives in Israel is both shocking and heartbreaking. We condemn the abhorrent acts of terrorism, and we grieve for all the victims and their families. We pray for peace to be brought to the people of the region." - Philadelphia Eagles, October 9, 2023.

We feel it necessary to articulate the facts of the matter involving Mr. Norcross at the stadium on Sunday. Mr. Norcross' removal from the stadium had nothing to do with the content of his sign.

Our stadium policies expressly prohibit signage containing any kind of non-game messaging to be hung from a stadium suite. Stadium staff repeatedly asked Mr. Norcross to remove the sign he hung outside of the suite. Instead of complying with the request, Mr. Norcross became physically and verbally abusive. Mr. Norcross was ejected from the stadium only after his abuse toward numerous stadium staff members continued. He was escorted from the suite level to the stadium's ejection point, just as anyone else would be after engaging in abusive behavior in violation of stadium policy.

Read George Norcross' full statement below:

"Yesterday, I was forcibly removed and assaulted by the non-police security staff of Lincoln Financial Field and the Eagles/NFL for refusing to remove a 3' x5' American and Israeli flag I'd hung off the box I was sitting in. As a longtime passionate fan and season ticket holder, I have watched the Eagles/NFL make clear and strong statements on numerous important civil justice issues and ethnic and world conflicts, including supporting the people of Ukraine, so as a strong supporter of Israel -- a country which was viciously attacked by the terrorist group Hamas less than a month ago -- I thought it was an important statement to make.

It remains unclear why the Eagles/NFL believe that the US-Israeli flag should be deemed "obscene or indecent" or otherwise inappropriate -- which is what I was cited for -- and should therefore be ripped down despite both issuing public statements strongly supporting Israel following the October 7th attacks. But as I consider whether to file suit against the Philadelphia Eagles, the NFL and the security company which yanked me out of the box and paraded me in front of thousands of fans, I urge other supporters of Israel to make their feelings known to the team and the NFL just as they have to universities like Penn and Harvard.

There is no dispute: On October 7th, Hamas murdered innocent Israeli civilians, raped women, and butchered children, and continues to hold hostages. I believe Israel has the right to defend itself, just as the United States did following the September 11th attacks and I will remain a proud and vocal defender of its right to do so. Americans have the right to peacefully protest, but that does not include the right to threaten people with bodily harm or even death."