George Norcross might sue Eagles after being ejected from game over banner

PHILADELPHIA — Upon further review, nobody agrees on what happened during an incident at Sunday’s Philadelphia Eagles game involving South Jersey powerbroker George Norcoss III.

A widely circulated video shows Norcross, the leader of South Jersey's Democratic organization, being ejected from his private box at Lincoln Financial Field.

That followed a dispute with stadium security over a banner displayed by Norcross that combined flags for the United States and Israel.

The video appears to show Norcross pushing his hand against the chest of a security worker who's reaching for the banner.

It also shows Norcross pulling his arm away from another security worker who appears to have grasped his shoulder as he's leaving the box.

The view from Lincoln Financial Field

A stadium source, who did not speak for attribution, said Norcross had violated the Linc's “long-standing policy” against the display of any banner, no matter its message.

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The source said Norcross refused to remove the banner, which was hanging outside his box, and was “both verbally and physically abusive to stadium staff.”

The stadium prohibits banners "that are obscene or indecent, not event-related, potentially offensive to other patrons, capable of blocking the views of other fans or otherwise deemed dangerous or inappropriate by the Eagles," according to its website.

"They may not contain commercial messages, logos or political endorsements and may not be hung on the stadium structure," the rules continue.

The stadium "reserves the right to confiscate signs" that violate its policy, the website says.

But Norcross offered a different view in a statement Monday.

The view from George Norcross III

The South Jersey businessman said he was “forcibly removed and assaulted by the non-police security staff of Lincoln Financial Field and the Eagles/NFL.”

Norcross, who regularly hosts tailgate parties before Eagle's home games, described himself as "a longtime passionate fan and season ticket holder."

But his statement said he's now considering whether to sue "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.”

Norcross acknowledged he had refused to remove a three- by five-foot banner hanging outside his box that combined the American and Israel flags.

However, he noted the Eagles and the NFL have made “clear and strong statements on numerous important civil justice issues and ethnic and world conflicts."

“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," he said in a statement.

“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,” his statement said.

The statement also said the flag was “ripped down,” although the video shows a security staffer lifting the banner into the box.

"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," his statement said.

"Americans have the right to peacefully protest, but that does not include the right to threaten people with bodily harm or even death,” it said.

Norcross also urged “other supporters of Israel to make their feelings known" to the Eagles and the NFL.

U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross, a Camden Democrat and a brother of George Norcross, addressed the issue in a pair of tweets Monday.

"Great victory for the Eagles and great to see support for the US-Israel relationship," the congressman wrote over a photo of the banner before its removal.

In a later post, he said, "Isn't it ironic that last night's Eagles game began with a tribute to our veterans complete with a flyover from New Jersey's 177th fighter wing, yet a display of the American flag is controversial?"

The incident occurred with about 11 minutes left in the second quarter of a game against the Dallas Cowboys, the Eagles archrival.

Philadelphia won the game, 28-23, after a last-second defensive stand.

Jim Walsh is a senior reporter for the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal. Email: Jwalsh@cpsj.com

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Norcross removed from private box after dispute over banner