McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
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Marie Levine
Sunday, October 22, 2023 10:33 PM
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Marie Levine
City Council Meeting 10/23/2023; Agenda Item #17; Soccer Game Agreement With AEG $Some people who received this message don't often get email fromLearn why this is important [A] CAUTION: This email was delivered from the Internet. Do not click links or open attachments unless you frnowthe content is safe. Report phish using the Phish Alert Button. Learn more....
Re: City Council Meeting 10/23/2023; Agenda Item #17; Soccer Game Agreement With AEG Dear Mayor Gordo and City Council Members
I am writing to express serious concerns about another License Agreement with AEG for a Soccer Game at the Rose Bowl before full consideration and review of what happened at the last Soccer Game.
As Council member Hampton knows, I have expressed serious concerns about the massive security breach at the soccer game Rose Bowl on October 15, 2023. While the RBOC is downplaying the severity of the event and has managed to keep the information out of the media, my conversations with neighbors who attended the game as well as numerous videos posted on social media tell a totally different story.
Below I provide online links with evidence supporting the egregious security breach that occurred at the Rose Bowl last weekend. The bottom line is that in spite of having advanced knowledge of the «passionate » fan base and possible explosive devices, the RBOC was totally unprepared to handle the magnitude of the event. I find the situation the more concerning that the country is on high alert for terrorism attacks. The videos show the following:
1. Massive amounts of explosives were being launched in front of security personnel and not one made a move. Not a single PPD officer in sight.
2.By my count in one of the videos, at a conservative rate of 4 explosives per second over a duration of 3 minutes there were at least 40,000 explosions in that segment alone. That's clearly more than street vendors can provide.
3. The game was stopped by the referee fearing the safety of the players. The players are seen walking aimlessly in the middle of the field rather than being directed off field for protection.
4. No announcement was made over the PA system to control the event
4. The videos also point to the preponderance of the explosions emanating from the fans behind each of the teams' goals, with matching color smoke bombs. This was a coordinated and premeditated event.
Earlier in the game, those same sections unfurled large team flags. Logic points to the explosives being coordinated in the same way as the flags. Who organized that and how was the large flag and its hardware allowed inside the stadium. How well was the material vetted? 10/23/2023
Item 17
1 5. Several videos show aggressive fighting in the stands. Not one security officer in sight to stop the brawls.
6. Video of the events in the fan section behind the goals show many 2 to 3 foot-long launching sticks or wands with fire. While the smoke bombs may be small, how can these launchers be undetectable and make there way inside the stadium?
7. The heavy smoke was clearly keeping people from breathing, which could have been a serious issue for people with respiratory disease.
8. My neighbor went to the game with her husband and daughter but they had to leave after barely 30 minutes into it. Here is what she shared with me:
- many people were drunk and unruly even before they entered the stadium. The police turned some away. Organizing festivities outside the stadium ahead of the game contributed to the situation. Who wouldn't have seen that happen?
- she witnessed one man running for his life being chased by 5 other men. He ran towards security personnel for his safety. No action was taken by the security officers. - fans in the stands were very aggressive, rude and using fowl language. They were throwing drinks and hitting people with plastic bottles. She and her daughter were drenched. - some men had big sticks they were using to beat fans
- some smoke bombs happened BEFORE half time.
- she decided that the situation in the stands was way too dangerous and she and her family left early fearing for their safety.
I ask you, is this the kind of entertainment Pasadena wants to be known for? Is it worth jeopardizing our family-friendly reputation? Does making money at all cost trump the security of our resident? Before the City decides on any future soccer games, it is imperative that we get a forthright evaluation of the security breach and a solid plan to avoid, manage and respond to such situation in the future. How about reviewing contracts with the promoters for they liability in such circumstances ? Fortunately no serious injury happened this time, or so we're told, but that's just a lucky circumstance. It could just as easily resulted in a stampede or major lawsuits against the city for failure to provide a safe environment. With the last soccer game setting precedent, I have no doubt that fans at future games will be emboldened to repeat the behavior.
Sincerely
Marie Levine, Ph.D.
Concerned Pasadena Resident
District 1
Attachments: Videos of the Rose Bowl soccer game from social media:
https://fb.watch/nPPEWIz uK/?m[bextid=v7YzmG
httDS://x.com/manaaertactical/status/1713929343095693761 ?s=46&t=s7ciSXdAP2pN7TYdYkNTMxA https://x.com/barrabrava net/status/1714281231192555682?s=46&t=s7gSXdAP2pN7TYdYkNTMxA httDS://x.com/pasefiltrado/status/1713823881725874422?s=46&t=s7aSXdAP2pN7TYdYkNTMxA 2 https://www.facebook.com/785994062/Dosts/Dfbid024S7S95LPDbBCpkxFuuzBAHq1k7ZqC8oDxfRiofbZ MFfJxEWVAhrvsxauqC1aCDm6l/?mibextid=v7YzmG
https://www.facebook.com/andv.montova.750/videos/138406947917499 5/?m i bextid =v7Yzm G https://x.com/elkinafresh/status/1714006170615386260?s=46&t=s7aSXdAP2DN7TYdYkNTMxA httDS://x.com/eghostfacee/status/1713972605756293289?s=46&t=s7gSXdAP2pN7TYdYkNTMxA 3 McMillan, Acquanette (Netta)
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Nina Chomsky
Monday, October 23, 2023 12:21 PM
PublicComment-AutoResponse
Council Meeting 10/23/2023; Agenda Item 17; Soccer Game AEG Rose Bowl License/Approval
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Nina Chomsky
Pasadena, CA
Re: Council Meeting 10/23/2023; Agenda Item 17; Soccer Game AEG Rose Bowl License/Approval Mayor Gordo and Councilmembers,
I have just read the letter on this Agenda item submitted by Dr. Levine, a neighbor across the Arroyo, and watched the attached videos of the last Soccer Game at the stadium brought to us by AEG and the RBOC.
My personal reaction: What? REALLY?
At the Rose Bowl Neighbors Meeting last week, where we used to hear accurate, reliable information from Mr. Dunn including helpful discussions of Rose Bowl issues, instead, in response to a question from a meeting attendee about smoke and explosions visible on the Spanish TV broadcast of the Game, RBOC staff downplayed the situation shown on the videos including diverting attention to an alleged minor failure of the Metal Detectors to pick up the incendiary materials brought into the Stadium and to some minor scuffles among fans as opposed to the actual fighting that took place. NO. This was a significant and major security, public safety, legal, public health and Stadium management failure that must receive a full investigation, including a review of Who Knew What and When Did They Know It. Did AEG mislead the RBOC and the City about the dangers of this event and the two teams? The poor reputation of the two teams was widely known prior to this Game. What exactly happened resulting in this series of failures? Two more obvious questions: aren't Fireworks illegal in Pasadena? Were there any arrests?
Considering these failures, and considering that it is not publicly known what teams will be playing this new Game, it is not clear how the Council can make the required Findings to approve another Soccer Game License with AEG. As to the CEQA Clearance and claimed Exemption, how do you know that this Game will have no features that distinguish this new Game from others and that this new Game will not involve Unusual Circumstances. Lots of Unusual Circumstances at this most recent Game. As to Finding 4 required by the Arroyo Seco Public Lands Ordinance, what assurances are being provided that this new Game will not impose undue impacts on the surrounding residential area and that the usual ongoing success in maintaining security will continue with this new Game. Can this required Finding be made when such security and administrative failures resulted from the last Soccer Game? Perhaps it would be a good idea not to approve any more AEG Licenses for Soccer Games in the Rose Bowl until the Council and City Staff fully review and understand and consider exactly what happened at this most recent Game and what steps and mitigations should be imposed so that this situation never occurs again.
Nina Chomsky
10/23/2023
Item 17
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