Nationals ban fan who unfurled white nationalist banner during game

May 18, 2026
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The Washington Nationals banned an attendee from their home Nationals Park after showing a banner promoting a white nationalist website during a game on Sunday.

The team issued a statement to multiple media outlets saying it identified at least one of the individuals involved, though it would not release their identity.

“The Washington Nationals vehemently condemn discriminatory and hateful rhetoric, and we strive to ​make our home field a safe space for our fans,” the Nationals’ statement read following the game against the Baltimore Orioles.

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Washington Nationals Armed Forces Weekend cap in dugout at Nationals Park

A Washington Nationals Armed Forces Weekend cap sits in the dugout during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., on May 16, 2026. (Hannah Foslien/MLB Photos)

During the Nationals’ game against the Orioles on Sunday, three people unfurled the banner in an upper deck section along the first baseline at Nationals Park, promoting the white nationalist website and calling for the deportation of “100+ million.”

The attendees reportedly resisted removing the banner after an usher tried to confiscate it before they left the ballpark, according to a team spokesperson.

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Jake Lang, a conservative influencer and among those who stormed The U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, took credit for the banner on his social media.

The banner unfurling came during the Nationals’ usual “Salute to Service” ceremony, where they honor a veteran military service member before the fourth inning begins.

Nationals Park guidelines state that “signs, banners and fan activities” must not “distract from the enjoyment of sports games or other forms of entertainment.” Also, the stadium is “not a forum or place for use by the public at large for assembly and speech, for use by certain speakers or for the discussion of certain subjects.”

Washington Nationals logo displayed in Nationals Park stadium.

The Washington Nationals logo is displayed in Nationals Park before the game between the Washington Nationals and the New York Mets in Washington, D.C., on May 13, 2023. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

There is also a restriction on the size and material of objects, which brings about how the banner got into the stadium in the first place.

It is currently unclear how the banner got through stadium security, per The Athletic.

Signs and banners must also adhere to Major League Baseball guidelines as well as the Nationals guest conduct policy. The policies prohibit any “derogatory matter relating to race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, age, personal appearance, familial status, familial responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, source of income, status as a victim of an intrafamily offense, place of residence or business or any other category protected by D.C. law.”

A New Era Washington Nationals baseball hat on a surface at PNC Park.

A New Era Washington Nationals baseball hat is seen during the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pa., on April 16, 2026. (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

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The Nationals lost to the Orioles, 7-3, on Sunday. They fell to 23-24 on the season, while the Orioles improved to 21-26.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.





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