Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Fresno Grizzlies Apologize for Video That Rips Ocasio-Cortez
GV-Wire
By Jody Murray
Published 6 years ago on
May 28, 2019

Share

The Fresno Grizzlies apologized to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez after it played a video on its scoreboard that included a picture of the New York congresswoman among “enemies of freedom.”

The minor-league baseball team posted on Twitter late Monday that the video, based on a Memorial Day speech by President Ronald Reagan, was “a pre-produced video from outside our front office” and that it contained “some misleading and offensive editing.”

“We’re embarrassed we allowed this video to play without seeing it in its entirety first,” the team said.

 

About an hour later, the Grizzlies sent another tweet that said “we unconditionally apologize to Rep. Ocasio-Cortez in addition to our fans, community and those we hurt.  It was a mistake and we will ensure that nothing like it ever happens again.”

The video, shown between games of a double-header against the El Paso Chihuahuas, was lifted by a Grizzlies staff member from a third-party YouTube account, Grizzlies president Derek Franks said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon. “This was taken off the internet. Borrowed, if you will,” Franks said.

On the video, when Reagan cites “enemies of freedom” in the speech, the video shows images of Ocasio-Cortez, North Korean dictator Kim Jung-un, and the late Cuban leader Fidel Castro.

People at the game, including Fresno Bee reporter Carmen George, reacted to the video.

Images of anti-fascist, alt-left protesters, along with what appears to be pictures from President Donald Trump’s State of the Union speech, also appear in the video.

Franks said the staff member who found and used the video was “remorseful.” He said the matter was being handled internally.

“We didn’t take the full steps to make sure that video was the right content for the ballclub,” Franks said.

To those who went on social media to contend the Grizzlies showed the politically charged video intentionally, Franks said in response: “Had this been intentional, we would have owned it, the same way we have owned that it was a mistake and that we didn’t do our job vetting the content.”

Here is the video:

The Grizzlies, a team in the Pacific Coast League, is the Triple A affiliate of the Washington Nationals.

Grizzlies Apologize on Wednesday as Well

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Chargers in Need of Help at Wide Receiver and Tight End in the NFL Draft

DON'T MISS

Magic Happens When Kids and Adults Learn to Swim. Tragedy Can Strike if They Don’t.

DON'T MISS

Big Fresno Fair Board Will Be Led by an American Sikh for 1st Time

DON'T MISS

AI ‘Friend’ for Public School Students Falls Flat

DON'T MISS

Is a ‘Friend-Apist’ What We Really Want From Therapy?

DON'T MISS

Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Report US Strikes in the Capital and a Coastal City

DON'T MISS

Progressive Icon and Ex-US Rep. Barbara Lee Wins Race for Mayor of Oakland

DON'T MISS

Humanoid Robots Run a Chinese Half-Marathon Alongside Human Competitors

DON'T MISS

Bakersfield Push to Restore Kern River Seeks to Revitalize City

DON'T MISS

Anti-Trump Protesters Turn Out to Rallies Across Country

UP NEXT

Magic Happens When Kids and Adults Learn to Swim. Tragedy Can Strike if They Don’t.

UP NEXT

Big Fresno Fair Board Will Be Led by an American Sikh for 1st Time

UP NEXT

Humanoid Robots Run a Chinese Half-Marathon Alongside Human Competitors

UP NEXT

Bakersfield Push to Restore Kern River Seeks to Revitalize City

UP NEXT

Anti-Trump Protesters Turn Out to Rallies Across Country

UP NEXT

250 Years After America Went to War for Independence, a Divided Nation Battles Over Its Legacy

UP NEXT

Greg Cronin Fired as Coach of Anaheim Ducks After 2 Seasons

UP NEXT

Israeli Strikes on Gaza Kill More Than 90 People in 48 Hours, Palestinians Say

UP NEXT

US and Iran Advance Nuclear Talks to Expert Level After Rome Meeting

UP NEXT

Putin Announces an Easter Ceasefire as Russia and Ukraine Swap Hundreds of POWs

AI ‘Friend’ for Public School Students Falls Flat

20 hours ago

Is a ‘Friend-Apist’ What We Really Want From Therapy?

20 hours ago

Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Report US Strikes in the Capital and a Coastal City

2 days ago

Progressive Icon and Ex-US Rep. Barbara Lee Wins Race for Mayor of Oakland

2 days ago

Humanoid Robots Run a Chinese Half-Marathon Alongside Human Competitors

2 days ago

Bakersfield Push to Restore Kern River Seeks to Revitalize City

2 days ago

Anti-Trump Protesters Turn Out to Rallies Across Country

2 days ago

Universal Studios Fan Fest 2025 to Feature Immersive D&D Attraction and More

2 days ago

Thousands Gather in London for Trans Rights Following UK Ruling Over Definition of Woman

2 days ago

250 Years After America Went to War for Independence, a Divided Nation Battles Over Its Legacy

2 days ago

Chargers in Need of Help at Wide Receiver and Tight End in the NFL Draft

EL SEGUNDO — In their first season together, Los Angeles Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz and coach Jim Harbaugh rebuilt the team enough ...

19 hours ago

19 hours ago

Chargers in Need of Help at Wide Receiver and Tight End in the NFL Draft

20 hours ago

Magic Happens When Kids and Adults Learn to Swim. Tragedy Can Strike if They Don’t.

20 hours ago

Big Fresno Fair Board Will Be Led by an American Sikh for 1st Time

20 hours ago

AI ‘Friend’ for Public School Students Falls Flat

20 hours ago

Is a ‘Friend-Apist’ What We Really Want From Therapy?

2 days ago

Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Report US Strikes in the Capital and a Coastal City

2 days ago

Progressive Icon and Ex-US Rep. Barbara Lee Wins Race for Mayor of Oakland

2 days ago

Humanoid Robots Run a Chinese Half-Marathon Alongside Human Competitors

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend