Former NFL player Chris Kluwe arrested for protesting 'MAGA' plaque at Huntington Beach City Council meeting

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. - Former UCLA and Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe was arrested Tuesday during a Huntington Beach City Council meeting.

Kluwe was protesting the council's approval of a library plaque that would have the acronym MAGA.

"I will now engage in the time-honored American tradition of civil disobedience," Kluwe said right before he walked off the stage and was taken into custody. 

Huntington Beach Police say he was arrested for misdemeanor disturbing an assembly and released later that night. 

The council cleared the room for a break when Kluwe was arrested and did not address his comments when it reconvened. The plaque was approved unanimously and Kluwe is due in court on the misdemeanor charge April 16.

The backstory:

The Huntington Beach City Council approved the motion to place a plaque with the acronym MAGA at the central library to commemorate its 50th anniversary. 

According to the city council, the acronym stands for "Magical Alluring Galvanizing Adventurous." The plaque would also include "Through hope and change, our nation has built back better to the golden age of Making America Great Again."

"Hope and change" was then-Sen. Barack Obama's campaign slogan during his victorious 2008 presidential campaign, while Joe Biden used the phrase "Build back better" during his winning 2020 campaign.

Kluwe expresses outrage at elected leaders 

What they're saying:

Kluwe said he's frustrated with how Democratic leaders have responded to President Donald Trump's second administration.

"This is my first act of willful civil disobedience," Kluwe told City News Service the next day. "For me, it's the fact that it's something I'd like to see our elected Democratic officials do now because, frankly, they're useless."

The retired punter wishes more Democrats in Washington would get arrested to resist the president's platform.

"I'm never going to ask someone to do something I'm not willing to do myself," Kluwe said. "That's one of the things I learned from football -- basic leadership. You've got to prove you're willing to do it too."

Kluwe said he was behind bars for about four hours.

"I moved back here and have been a resident for like 15 years," Kluwe said. "The Huntington Beach Library is widely regarded in the surrounding area as one of the best things about Huntington Beach. The library is a civic treasure."

Kluwe, 43, said he grew up in the Seal Beach area. He starred at Los Alamitos High School and went on to play for UCLA. He punted for the Minnesota Vikings from 2005-12.

Estimated cost of plaque 

By the numbers:

The plaque would cost taxpayers an estimated $7,000.

Soon-to-be former Huntington Beach City Attorney Michael Gates told FOX 11 that the $7,000 cost would be a worst-case scenario. 

"I understand they are looking for private donation support. So I anticipate once there's community support for this new plaque, that there will be private funding and the city will probably have to front no amount of money for the plaque," Gates told FOX 11.