Justice Department Launches Civil Rights Probe Into MLB Over Pride Hats Controversy The U.S. Justice Department has initiated a civil rights investigation into Major League Baseball (MLB) following a dispute over players’ use of Pride-themed hats during a game. The controversy centers on three San Francisco Giants pitchers who wrote Bible verses on their caps during the team’s Pride Night event on June 12. The league criticized the players for violating its uniform rules, prompting the Justice Department to refer the matter to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to assess whether the disciplinary action constitutes religious discrimination. The incident occurred during a game against the Chicago Cubs, where pitchers Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker, and Ryan Walker inscribed Bible verses on their rainbow-colored Pride-themed hats. Pitcher Sam Hentges opted not to wear the themed cap at all. MLB issued a statement on June 13, asserting that writing on hats “violates our rules” and warned the players against future violations. The league emphasized that its rules apply uniformly, regardless of the message on the caps, and cited similar warnings for Mother’s Day messages and family names. Assistant U.S. Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon wrote a letter to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred on June 14, stating that the Justice Department had referred the case to the EEOC. Dhillon argued that the Civil Rights Act prohibits MLB from unreasonably burdening players’ religious rights, particularly when the league promotes Pride messages. “Federal law is clear: employers must modify uniform requirements to reasonably accommodate employees’ religious practices,” Dhillon wrote.#justice_department #major_league_baseball #san_francisco_giants #equal_employment_opportunity_commission #landen_roupp
