4 November 14-20, 2024 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | music | cafe | culture | Night+Day | news | letters | coNteNts | ▼ HARD ROCK STADIUM STAN BY U MAN RETIRED MIAMI-DADE COP HAWKS BOOTLEG UM TRUMP MERCH. BY NAOMI FEINSTEIN I f you’ve recently attended a University of Miami football game, you may have no- ticed a number of fans wearing Cam Ward, Xavier Restrepo, or Rueben Bain Jr. jerseys in honor of the team’s super- stars. But you’re probably seeing more people wearing unlicensed merch stanning former president Donald Trump: hats or T-shirts that swap out the “U” in “Trump” for the university’s stylized logo. Everywhere you look at Hard Rock Stadium, from the con- courses to the skyboxes to the cheap seats, you’re likely to spot someone wearing the bootleg duds. Some fans and alumni are less than pleased and want the university to crack down on the unauthorized use of its trade- mark. “UM, hey, hi alma mater @univmiami!” local journalist and gadfly Lesley Abravanel wrote in a November 2 tweet on X, the plat- form formerly known as Twitter. “While much of this merch are made in China fakes, we, as members of the UM community, want the university to make it clear that we do not endorse any candidate. Your trademark is sul- lied. We’ll wait. But not for long. Big donors are NOT happy.” One of the people selling the bootleg goods is Steven Czyzewski, a recently retired Miami-Dade Police Depart- ment lieutenant who most re- cently worked at the airport operations bureau. In a series of Facebook posts, Czyzewski posted self- ies modeling the Trump hats and T-shirts, saying a friend was offering them for sale at $20 a pop. “Not surprised but man these hats are a hit,” he wrote. “My buddy is doing shirts as well on Monday. For those who want shirts or hats, please shoot me a text. Even if you al- ready sent me a message please do so again so I can get an accurate count. Shirts are going to be $20 as well.” Reached by New Times, Czyzewski clarifies that he doesn’t manufacture the shirts and hats. He says he got his hands on the merch from “a friend of a friend of a friend” and sold ten or 15 items after he posted about them on social media. “I wish I was making them,” Czyzewski quips. Two days after her initial post, Abravanel followed up with a screenshot that appears to be a direct message from the university, thanking her for“reaching out and alerting us to the misuse of our branding.” “We take the integrity of our brand and its associated mer- chandise very seriously,” the mes- sage continued. “Rest assured that we are working with our li- censing partners to thoroughly investigate this issue and address any unauthorized use of our marks and brand.... Thank you once again for your vigilance and support.” The U reiterated the message when asked to comment for this story. “The University of Miami takes the integrity of our brand and its associated merchandise very seriously,” Jacqueline Menendez, vice president of uni- versity communications, writes in a statement to New Times. “We are working with our licensing partners to thoroughly investi- gate this issue and address unau- thorized use of our marks and brand.” [email protected] | RIPTIDE | Art Credit ▼ MIAMI RETURN OF TARRIO? EX-PROUD BOYS LEADER ANGLES FOR RELEASE AFTER TRUMP WIN. BY NAOMI FEINSTEIN A s former and now future president Donald Trump is set to return to the White House in 2025, onetime Proud Boy leader and Miami native Enrique Tarrio has joined the long line of January 6 insurrectionists angling for presidential pardons. Following Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Har- ris, Tarrio’s lawyer Nayib Hassan applauded the election results in a statement on November 6. “While we continue to diligently work on the appeal pro- cess for our client, we want to make it clear that we will explore every possible avenue to seek the release from custody,” Has- san wrote. “We are committed to pursuing all legal options available and that justice is served.” Hassan emphasized that he and Tarrio are excited about “what the future holds, both in terms of the judicial process for our client and the broader political landscape under the new administration.” “We remain hopeful that the courts will recognize the mer- its of our appeal, and we are optimistic about what lies ahead,” he continued. In September 2023, the former national chairman of the Proud Boys was sentenced to 22 years in prison for his role in the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol in 2021. Tarrio was convicted of seditious conspiracy and conspiracy to obstruct an official pro- ceeding. Prosecutors alleged that Tarrio, now 40 years old, or- dered a group calling itself the “Ministry of Self Defense” to prevent the transfer of power from Trump to Joe Biden. Reached by New Times, Hassan reiterated that he plans to explore every legal avenue to free his client. He did not rule out the possibility of filing for a pardon, saying he favors whatever mechanism would be the fastest to get Tarrio released from cus- tody. Hassan says he has not spoken to Tarrio since Trump’s win. Although Tarrio was not present at the Capitol riot — he had been arrested two days prior for charges related to a stolen Black Lives Matter flag and was ordered to leave the city — prosecutors claimed Tarrio orchestrated the far-right organization’s attack on January 6. They pointed to text messages that revealed Tarrio’s mindset following Trump’s defeat. During the siege, Tarrio posted on social media in apparent cel- ebration of the assault. “Proud of my boys and my country,” the post read. Trump’s November 5 win renews hope for January 6 defen- dants; on the campaign trail, the president-elect pledged to par- don some of the 1,500-plus insurrectionists charged with crimes for their actions on that day. [email protected] GET MORE NEWS & COMMENTARY AT MIAMINEWTIMES.COM/NEWS Enrique Tarrio participates in a July 2021 demonstration in support of Cubans protesting the Castro regime. Photo by Michelle Eve Sandberg Retired Miami-Dade cop Steven Czyzewski modeling the Trump UM cap on Facebook Screenshot via Facebook “YOUR TRADEMARK IS SULLIED. WE’LL WAIT. BUT NOT FOR LONG. BIG DONORS ARE NOT HAPPY.”
