Chris Kluwe Arrested at Council Meeting Over Anti-MAGA Speech

Former NFL Punter Kluwe Removed from Meeting After Rant

On February 18, 2025, former NFL punter Chris Kluwe was arrested during a Huntington Beach City Council meeting in California. Kluwe was protesting a plaque displayed at the Huntington Beach Central Library, which featured an acrostic spelling “MAGA”—a reference to former President Donald Trump’s slogan, “Make America Great Again.” Critics, including Kluwe, viewed the plaque as political propaganda.

During the meeting, Kluwe delivered a prepared statement criticizing the MAGA movement, stating, “MAGA is profoundly corrupt, unmistakably anti-democracy, and, most importantly, MAGA is explicitly a Nazi movement.” He then announced his intention to engage in “peaceful civil disobedience” and approached the council members, prompting police officers to intervene. Kluwe was arrested for disturbing an assembly and was detained for approximately four hours before being released.

Kluwe, known for his outspoken activism on social and political issues, played eight seasons with the Minnesota Vikings from 2005 to 2012. He has previously advocated for same-sex marriage and has been critical of NFL leadership.

For a visual account of the incident, you can watch the following video: