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9/11 truther: How I sneaked into Super Bowl XLVIII -- and hijacked the postgame show

Matthew Mills, left in an interview with former NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw, was arrested after he snuck into a Super Bowl postgame news conference on Sunday.
Print By A.J. Perez/NJ.com
on February 03, 2014 at 4:02 AM, updated February 03, 2014 at 6:07 PM


EAST RUTHERFORD -- The Brooklyn man arrested after he interrupted Super Bowl XLVIII MVP Malcolm Smith's postgame news conference didn't start Sunday looking to make it onto national TV and, ultimately, into handcuffs.

UPDATE: Private security workers at fault for letting 9/11 truther crash game, news conference.

Matthew Mills, an 30-year-old independent journalist from Brooklyn, told NJ.com his aim was just to get close to MetLife Stadium -- which had layers of security in what's supposed to be the most secure sporting event in the United States -- so he could conduct some fan interviews.

Then the self-described 9/11 truther saw an employee bus at Secaucus Junction and hopped aboard.

Around Mills' neck was an old credential from a festival he covered, a rectangular badge that, at quick glance, didn't look too dissimilar from the ones issued to media members, team employees and others who worked the Super Bowl.

He also used a common refrain whenever hassled by security, which is supposed to verify each credential or ticket with a barcode along with putting attendees through other security screenings.

"I just said I was running late for work and I had to get in there," Mills said. "It was that simple."

Mills said he got through multiple layers of security using that bogus story.

"I didn't think that I'd get that far," Mill said. "I just kept getting closer and closer. Once I got past the final gate and into the stadium, I was dumbfounded."

Once I got past the final gate and into the stadium, I was dumbfounded." - Matthew Mills, who crashed a Super Bowl news conference
After the game concluded, Mills walked into the media tent, where players and coaches were brought for interviews.

"I just saw my opportunity to get my word out there and I took it," Mills said.

Mills grabbed the microphone as Smith began to talk to reporters and said the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington were "perpetrated by people in our own government."

"Check his press pass," Smith said with a smirk after the initial shock wore off.

He didn't have one. Mills didn't even have a ticket. Still, he was able to get his message out to a national audience as ESPN and other outlets showed the presser live.

Mills was quickly ushered off the dais by a public relations representative and eventually arrested. Mills left the area without a struggle and was charged with trespassing. He was released a couple hours later on his own recognizance.

But Mills' gate-crashing leaves people wondering: With all of the millions spent on security, how safe is the Super Bowl anyway?

An NFL spokesman has referred all questions to the New Jersey State Police, the law enforcement agency that oversees the Meadowlands.

An NJ State Police spokesman gave NJ.com Mills' name, but didn't immediately return a message inquiring about how Mills was able to get into MetLife.

Mills is affiliated with WeAreChange, an organization whose aim is "confronting prominent and powerful people with the tough questions the mainstream media doesn't want to ask."

I know a little about this subject - I won't say how, but don't think I'm just being mysterious - and the NJSP provides escorts to all sorts of celebs, all the time. Last week was over-the-top ridiculous, of course, but it's pretty standard stuff. If asked about it, they'd answer something about "homeland security-crime-defensive-policing-mumble-mumble".

So all the escorts bothered me over the past week (I know that the state police have also been going with the teams to and from their practice facilities, including the Broncos, all the way to the Jets' Florham Park campus). I found this article, from the GS Parkway "Death Race 2012", that has the following - "...Troopers are allowed to accompany vehicles only in specific cases: for state, federal or foreign government officials, medical emergencies, prisoner transports, dignitary funerals, protected witnesses or money and valuables with no other security.

"No other escorts are authorized," according to the policy, last revised in 2007 and signed by [State Police Superintendent Col. Rick] Fuentes."

The NJ State Troopers also don't release overtime info for their force (see this link).

Anyone else feeling fleeced?

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Just clarifying this statement can be misleading. NFL teams DO pay taxes. The league office does not.

What the league office takes in is not even a drop in the bucket, compared to what the NFL teams pay taxes on. With that said, I agree, that the NFL League office should also be taxed.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2 ... k-nfls-non-profit-status/

http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2014/01/nfl-tax-exempt/

Today, they have a snow plower in front of the motorcade.

But I thought it was New Yorks Super Bowl?? Kidding!!

Yeah it's quite annoying. I don't even watch football, too boring. Hopefully this is the only time they do this. It's pretty disruptive.

To add insult to injury, the NFL is a not for profit organization and pays NO TAXES. I hate having the football game here.

Tell me about it. I live near the Hyatt. Sirens and flashing lights all the time. Holding up traffic. Running red lights. You think the U.N. General Assembly or the G8 Summit is held in Jersey City.

Waiting to cross Christopher Columbus Drive on Jersey Ave. 15 minutes ago. Sirens everywhere, 2 State Police helicopters circling overhead. Along come 6 (SIX!) State Police cruisers with sirens on and lights flashing, folowed by 4 team buses, followed by 3 unmarked SUVs with blacked-out windows and police-type lights flashing. Most ridiculous and absurd waste of money and resources. And we're paying for it...

Good to see exactly how serious they are about dangerous criminals:

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2014/01/post_467.html

"The arrest came after a rack of jerseys were spotted outside Cervino?s store while CNN was covering a task force searching for counterfeit NFL merchandise composed of members of the Department of Homeland Security, the Hudson County Sheriff?s Office and the Hudson County Prosecutor?s Office, a sheriff?s office spokesman said."

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I've personally hardly felt the super bowl, and I live between where both teams are staying.

Here is some info on costs & benefits to NY/NJ to host the superbowl http://www.ibtimes.com/how-much-will- ... ey-residents-2014-1549033

[quote]
TheBigGuy wrote:
Just bothers me that the guy has not been in office for 8 months and he is already looking for another job... would any employer be happy about that situation. And you said it yourself "if he does a good job?" He believes today in term limits which I do too, let's just hope he finishes this term. If Christie or Menendez, or even Booker were to leave office in 18 months, do you think the Mayor would pass up that opportunity to run? At his age, he has plenty of time to do what he was elected to do in Jersey City and still run for another office 10 years from now.
[quote]
Winning a mayoral election doesn't provide enough background to run for higher office. He has to build a track record of accomplishments. I think what he is doing is creating a higher profile and a brand for JC. I have worked for large corporations where we have done the same thing to revive old well known brands and create new images for them to increase sales..

So far it hasn't bothered my PATH commute, but to your point about costs, I have never seen Exchange place to clean. I saw 2 JCIA street sweeper in the security area at about 7 am the other morning.

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This feels more like a military occupation than anything else.

I'd like to see the numbers on this when it's over, because I'm predicting nothing but lots of police overtime for JC on this event.

Just bothers me that the guy has not been in office for 8 months and he is already looking for another job... would any employer be happy about that situation. And you said it yourself "if he does a good job?" He believes today in term limits which I do too, let's just hope he finishes this term. If Christie or Menendez, or even Booker were to leave office in 18 months, do you think the Mayor would pass up that opportunity to run? At his age, he has plenty of time to do what he was elected to do in Jersey City and still run for another office 10 years from now.


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BigGuy,

Why does it offend you if in fact Mayor Fulop does ultimately aspire to a higher office? In my opinion that's good for JC for a few reasons. The first is, he will try to do a good job as mayor of JC to strengthen his track record in support of his next bid. The second reason why I think it's good is I would one welcome someone from JC with authority at a higher level who can benefit us.

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A large, blue and yellow sign displayed prominently near the Westin hotel in Downtown Jersey City reads "WELCOME FANS."

That was anything but the case yesterday when Jersey City police and state troopers forced Seattle Seahawks' fans and onlookers out of the view of the players as they returned to the hotel from Super Bowl Media Day.

This morning most police outside the hotel on Washington Boulevard said they did not know why fans would have been treated that way.
I guess they weren't kidding around...

On Tuesday, angry fans called the security measures "going overboard" and "a slap in the face of fans."

This morning a Jersey City police officer stationed across the street from the Westin said people weren't supposed to take pictures.

When asked why fans weren't allowed to take photos on a public street or sidewalk, another officer stationed in front of the hotel told The Jersey Journal he didn't know if that was the case.

The Jersey City Police Department and State Police did not respond to calls for comment.

JJ

Hundreds of thousands of people in Jersey City !! Nothing more to add to that...speaks on its own !!

The good thing about the high profile Super Bowl connections to Jersey City is that Mayor will be able to stay in the city for his photo ops with the national media. Might even see a photo of him in his mayor's office, rather than looking for another higher office.

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Well I would imagine getting autographs outside the hotels the teams are in. Many people are staying here as well.

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Well, our population is about 250,00. So unless a majority of us leave, I expect there will be hundreds of thousands of people in Jersey City.

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Groove on Grove

What's the opposite of this? If the Super Bowl teams are not staying in Jersey City, officials are not serious about emergency plans.

"There are going to be hundreds of thousands of people in Jersey City. There will be billions around the world watching the Super Bowl," Fulop said. "We want to make sure we're as ready as possible. It's important to do these things."

Really? Hundreds of thousands in Jersey City? Doing what??

With Super Bowl teams staying in Jersey City, officials serious about emergency plans

By Jonathan Lin/The Jersey Journal
January 21, 2014 at 1:51 PM

How would authorities and law enforcement officials respond if a major snowstorm hit Jersey City during the Super Bowl? What about a terrorist attack?

These scenarios were played out this morning at a Super Bowl preparedness exercise in the command center of Jersey City's Office of Emergency Management.

Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, Deputy Police Chief Joseph Connors, Public Safety Director James Shea, OEM Director Sgt. Greg Kierce, heads of multiple city agencies and FBI supervisory Special Agent Michael D'Alonzo attended the exercise.

"The point of these exercises is to bring everyone together ... it identifies who's going to do what," Shea said. "It's so we're not meeting each other for the first time at the scene."

In a major snowstorm scenario played out today, a blizzard warning is issued for Hudson County, and the National Weather Service predicts 20 to 30 inches of snow.

Water main breaks then interrupt water service to Newport Downtown, where the Super Bowl teams will be staying, and power outages affect various parts of the city.

A United Water official responds with backup water being provided within an hour and repair crews get to work on the breaks right away.

An official from the Department of Health and Human Services sets up warming stations for the homeless and coordinates with homeless shelters in the area.

In the terrorist scenario, two men are spotted jamming a suspicious package under a table at a restaurant at the Westin in Jersey City, where one of the Super Bowl teams is staying. They then leave quickly.

Authorities confirm the package is suspicious, the hotel is evacuated and a bomb squad gets on site within minutes to investigate. Security at the Hyatt, where the other Super Bowl team is staying, is increased.

In the meantime, the two men are tracked down by Port Authority police, where one is shot when he refuses to remove his hands from his jacket and the other is apprehended.

The FBI probe their cell phones to find who the men have been talking to; the bomb squad at the Westin finds out the package is a bomb and defuses it, and another man with a suspicious package is seen approaching the Hyatt and arrested.

A bomb squad finds out the second package is also a bomb, and the FBI, after realizing that the attack has connections with Pakistan, works with Jersey City police and other law enforcement agencies to track down any other suspects and foil any other planned attacks.

After the two scenaries were played out, Shea said nJersey City is well-prepared for any emergency that might occur during the Super Bowl.

"We will have all the resources we need," he said. "We've been practicing for two years."

"There are going to be hundreds of thousands of people in Jersey City. There will be billions around the world watching the Super Bowl," Fulop said. "We want to make sure we're as ready as possible. It's important to do these things."

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