A family says their first-time experience at a San Francisco 49ers game was soured when security attempted to deny them entry over a “Make America Great Again” hat. According to a TikTok video posted on Monday, the family was stopped by a security guard at Levi’s Stadium, sparking a 30-45 minute dispute that caused them to miss the beginning of the game.
The video, which doesn’t reveal the family’s identity, captures part of the confrontation. In the clip, a woman claims, “We were about to enter, and they stopped us because my son-in-law is wearing this hat. They don’t want to let us in.” She said their tickets had been scanned and that they had passed through standard security checkpoints before being stopped by a guard who demanded the MAGA hat be removed or discarded.
Despite the liberal reputation of the San Francisco area, bystanders reportedly supported the family during the confrontation. The woman thanked “all the people who stopped and spoke up” on their behalf, noting the encouragement they received from other fans who witnessed the incident.
Ultimately, a supervisor allowed the family to enter, but they expressed disappointment with the experience. “What was meant to be a fun first time experience for our kids turned out to be an eye opener … I felt we were being discriminated against,” the woman wrote in her TikTok caption. She further expressed frustration with the team and stadium, tagging the 49ers and Levi’s Stadium in her post.
The 49ers have not released a public statement on the incident, which has since gained attention on conservative media sites. Ironically, the MAGA hat made another appearance at the game when linebacker Joey Bosa interrupted a post-game interview wearing the red cap, eliciting laughs from teammates, including tight end George Kittle.
The family’s experience has raised questions about political expression at public events and sparked debate on social media, with some fans rallying in support and others questioning the appropriateness of such displays in highly polarized settings.