Madison Square Garden’s Chief Security Officer, Eversole, has been reported to escalate his response to perceived threats on social media by contacting local law enforcement, according to multiple sources within the security team. Security veterans claim Eversole would reach out to police departments to assert his position and demand action. In one documented case, MSG security instructed local police to visit a teenager in Colorado who had posted a concerning tweet, leading to a distressing encounter for the young individual.
When local police occasionally declined to comply with Eversole’s requests, his team reportedly reacted with intense frustration. Additionally, sources indicated that Eversole encouraged his staff to act similarly to municipal officers by patrolling the surrounding streets of MSG, which is located in a challenging neighborhood of Manhattan, effectively creating an unofficial security force without proper authorization from the New York Police Department (NYPD). A former security worker, Munn, reported feeling compelled to carry out unsafe and potentially illegal tasks as directed by Eversole, including stopping traffic and unlawfully detaining individuals without the necessary permits.
Eversole allegedly instructed security personnel to target individuals selling counterfeit merchandise and to remove scalpers and drug dealers in areas adjacent to MSG, often without assistance or backup. Ingrasselino, a former MSG security staff member, claimed that these tasks were fraught with danger and not standard for a private security team. He noted an incident involving a former NYPD assistant chief who was assaulted by scalpers, requiring hospitalization.
Ingrasselino’s lawsuit also contends that he was ordered to embed himself in pro-Palestine or anti-Israel protests occurring near MSG venues, though other security staff have stated they were merely instructed to observe such demonstrations. Due to the venues’ central locations, this occurred frequently.
Certain protests drew heightened scrutiny; animal rights activists, for example, would sometimes gather outside Madison Square Garden during events like the Professional Bull Riders tour. These activists expressed concerns about being singled out and monitored by MSG security.
MSG’s activities have also prompted backlash from state government officials. Following the emergence of reports regarding bans on certain attorneys and controversy surrounding the venue’s facial recognition technology, the State Liquor Authority began investigating MSG’s practices involving alcohol service and access restrictions. In response, MSG owner James Dolan publicly criticized the Authority, displaying a photograph of its head along with contact information and urging the public to voice their opinions.
