In one of the most bizarre scenes you’ll ever see at an NFL game, during the second quarter of today’s Bears-Vikings game two men rappelled from the ceiling of U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis and unfurled a massive anti-Dakota Access Pipeline banner.
The purpose of the act was evidently to encourage divestment from the building’s naming rights sponsor, U.S. Bank, due to its investment in the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline.
This guy is repelling upside down inside US Bank Stadium pic.twitter.com/FWNjjQ7pYU
— Dave Schwartz (@Dave_Schwartz) January 1, 2017
The game continued but seven rows of seats in the section directly under the banner were cleared out by local police.
Section below climbers being cleared out by police pic.twitter.com/vhFdGEtxaG
— chipscoggins (@chipscoggins) January 1, 2017
Police were then summoned to the roof to go after the two protesters.
https://twitter.com/JayJazzi/status/815633269966471168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
SMG, the company who run the stadium, have released the following statement.
Statement from the folks that run US Bank Stadium. Nice explanation how they got in with equipment. pic.twitter.com/SFGyw12Mds
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) January 1, 2017
Fans boo as protesters are escorted out. Concourse has now reopened. @MyFOX9 pic.twitter.com/Nli6XWc27Z
— Samuel King (@SamuelKingNews) January 1, 2017
Of course the most surprising part of this is that something noteworthy actually happened at this meaningless season finale.