A fan who attended the Cardinals vs. Commanders game Sunday at FedEx Field is facing criminal charges for his actions in a violent confrontation in the stands.
The initial melee was caught on video and went viral on X, formerly known as Twitter.
In the video, a man wearing a Ray Lewis Ravens jersey is seen getting hit by a Commanders fan in a poncho.
The Ravens fan, identified as Martino Ancora by Fox 5 in Washington, later stumbled to his feet and started arguing with security.
The man in the Ravens jersey was arrested Sunday by Prince George’s County police and charged with trespassing, disorderly conduct and second-degree assault, according to the local Fox station.
Multiple sources report the arrest is based on an incident that took place after the brawl but wasn’t recorded on video.
A second scuffle also broke out between a pair of women.
It’s not known if they have any connection to the combatants from the first bout, but it appears that a woman in the black shirt was trying to pull back Ancora before the scene unfolded.
The 33-year-old Ancora, who required a visit to a local hospital for injuries and cuts to his arm, face and hands, told the local Fox station he was the victim, not a suspect.
Ancora said he was there to support his girlfriend, who’s a Commanders fan, when “a guy a row ahead of me … He started being disrespectful with his words, and as you can see on the video, he pushed me first and as he pushed me I tried to lean in, and I was gonna push him back, but before I could push them back, the guy in our row actually rushed the whole aisle and knocked us all on to the ground.”
The Commanders provided Fox 5 with a statement on Monday, saying, “The safety of our players and our fans is our highest priority. Our security team responded quickly and removed those who were engaging in behavior that was unsafe. One fan was transported to the hospital and subsequently arrested by Prince George’s County police.
“We remind fans before and during the game about appropriate behavior at FedEx Field to ensure the experience is great for all of our fans.”
Commanders head coach Ron Rivera was asked Monday about the fight.
“This fan base is really truly an iconic one because of its past, its history, its tradition,” Rivera said. “We’ve just got to understand, treat each other the same way and just understand that it’s all about you know, enjoying the game, the atmosphere.”
Ancora will be in court in a “few weeks,” according to FOX 5.
As for Sunday’s game, the Commanders beat the Cardinals, 20-16, as Washington began its post-Dan Snyder era with Josh Harris taking ownership of the team.
