The plaque commemorating the library’s 50th anniversary describes the library as “magical,” “alluring,” “galvanizing” and “adventurous.” It also quotes former President Barack Obama: “Through hope and change our nation has built back better to the golden era of Making America Great Again!”

Former Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe arrested

Former Minnesota Vikings punter and known advocate for same-sex marriage, Chris Kluwe, took issue with the plaque and protested its approval during a Huntington Beach City Council meeting, Tuesday.

MAGA stands for trying to erase trans people from existence. MAGA stands for re-segregation and racism. MAGA stands for censorship and book bans. MAGA stands for firing air traffic controllers while planes are crashing. MAGA stands for firing the people overseeing our nuclear arsenal. MAGA stands for firing military veterans and those serving them at the VA, including canceling research on veteran suicide. MAGA stands for cutting funds to education, including for disabled children. MAGA is profoundly corrupt, unmistakably anti-democracy, and, most importantly, MAGA is explicitly a Nazi movement. You may have replaced a swastika with a red hat, but that is what it is.

Chris Kluwe, former Minnesota Vikings’ punter

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Kluwe then said he would “now engage in the time-honored, American tradition of peaceful, civil disobedience.” He approached the city council, was intercepted by a police officer and arrested. He spent four hours in custody, according to the OC Register. Kluwe was complimentary of the arresting officers and further explained his intentions.

This was done not with the intention of changing the council’s mind, because I don’t think those minds can be changed. It was done so that people who are watching and people who will watch understand that this is important enough to get arrested for. That it’s important to stand up and speak truth to power and to do so in a way that other people can emulate. A public library is supposed to be welcoming to anyone who wants to come in and check out a book and learn. And so this attempt to politicize it with an explicit MAGA reference on the plaque shows that they don’t care about the public library. They care about making a propaganda statement.

Chris Kluwe, per Michael Slaten of the OC Register

Kluwe alleges MN Vikings cut him over his advocacy efforts

Back in 2012, Chris Kluwe was basically a league-average punter based on net yards per punt (including blocked punts). That wasn’t good enough to keep his job given his $1.35 million contract. The Minnesota Vikings released him after drafting Jeff Locke in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Locke ended up being slightly below league average in his rookie season. He was paid less than $590,000.

In 2012, Kluwe voiced his support of same-sex marriage on behalf of the group Minnesotans for Marriage Equality, a group highly regarded in the LGBTQ+ community. Kluwe also wrote an op-ed for Deadspin about his experience as an active player/advocate, alleging that then-Vikings special teams coach Mike Priefer starting using homophobic language in his presence.

The Vikings suspended Priefer because of the allegations. Kluwe alleged Priefer interrupted teammates jokingly discussing Kluwe leading the Pride parade by saying, “We should round up all the gays, send them to an island, and then nuke it until it glows.”

Related: Former Vikings Special Teams Coordinator Lands Job with Bill Belichick

According to Kluwe’s allegations, then-Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier twice asked the punter to stop advocating for same-sex marriage until he was “overruled” by Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf. A resulting independent investigation found no truth in those allegations.

The investigators found that Priefer made a single homophobic comment to Kluwe, and according to long snapper Cullen Loeffler, he made the statement because Kluwe and Loeffler were not focused on football during practice.

The investigation also didn’t find evidence that anybody from the franchise tried to stop Kluwe from engaging in his activism, and the investigators said that “other than the statement allegedly made by Priefer, the record is devoid of any support for the contention that the team harbored a homophobic hostile work environment.”

CBS Sports (July, 2014)

Chris Kluwe hit free agency in 2013 where he signed with the Raiders, but did not make the team out of camp. Kluwe’s Bluesky account bio reads: “Troublemaker extraordinaire.” While his football career is long over, his advocacy/troublemaking continues.

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Longtime Viking Mike Priefer to join Bill Belichick at North Carolina

Mike Priefer, the former Minnesota Vikings special teams coordinator from (2011-2018) and Cleveland Browns special teams coordinator (2019-2022) is officially returning to coaching. It was announced today that he’ll be taking on that same role on Bill Belichick’s staff at North Carolina.

Related: Jets Conspiring a Coup of Multiple Minnesota Vikings Top Coaches and Executives?

Sources: Longtime NFL special teams coach Mike Priefer is expected to finalize a deal to become the new special teams coach at North Carolina. He’s worked in the NFL since 2002 and been a head special teams coach from 2006-2022. pic.twitter.com/dFf8HgK5dL

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 15, 2025

Mike Priefer, 58, brings a wealth of experience as a special teams coordinator to North Carolina. He held the role with four NFL teams: the Kansas City Chiefs (2006-08), Denver Broncos (2009-10), Minnesota Vikings (2011-18), and Cleveland Browns (2019-22).

After his time with the Vikings, Priefer joined Kevin Stefanski in Cleveland. Stefanski, his former Vikings colleague, had landed and still has the head coaching job with the Browns.

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In 2012, he was named Special Teams Coordinator of the Year. A key factor was also Vikings kicker Blair Walsh, who delivered an outstanding rookie season. In Week 13 of the 2016 season, Priefer stepped in as the Vikings’ head coach against the Dallas Cowboys. He filled in for Mike Zimmer, who missed the game due to emergency eye surgery.

Priefer is now joining the legendary Bill Belichick at North Carolina. Belichick is stepping into the challenge of building a college program for the first time in his career. Priefer brings a wealth of experience and valuable insight to the staff. With his help, they’ll be aiming to contend for a national championship.

Related: Paul Allen Suspicious of Kevin O’Connell Trade Rumors; Questions Timing of Initial Report…

There were plenty of Vikings’ fans that were calling for Mike Priefer’s job after the 2018 season. Today, those people are vindicated.

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From @markcraignfl and me: Mike Priefer will not be returning as the Vikings’ special teams coordinator in 2019.

— Ben Goessling (@GoesslingStrib) January 11, 2019

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It looks like Priefer is the next coach under Mike Zimmer that will take the fall for the team’s deficiencies. But, when you draft a kicker in the 5th round and he doesn’t even last through his first season, it’s a lot easier to point the finger your way.

And that’s before you even mention the Blair Walsh era, which Priefer also presided over…

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via GIPHY

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The special teams coordinator that finds a kicker to break the Vikings curse will be the coach we build a statue of in front of US Bank Stadium.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

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UPDATE

2:30 PM

In a fun and surprising turn of events, it turns out that Priefer is the one who initiated the divorce with the Vikings. According to Priefer, he turned down a job here to coach for the Cleveland Browns.

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A statement from Mike Priefer: pic.twitter.com/Krs7kzU3uw

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 11, 2019

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