Will a National Football League player face legal recourse for tackling a protester who ran onto the field during Monday night's game at Levi's Stadium?
That's the big question after the protester filed a report with local police saying he is the victim after he was tackled by Los Angeles Rams linebacker Bobby Wagner.
"I'm pretty sure it's going to happen again," Wagner said. "But you never know what that person got in their pockets, in their hands...there's consequences for your actions."
The protester has said he was trying to draw attention to an ongoing animal rights trial. A second protester was caught by security before she could make it onto the field.
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Hours after the game between the San Francisco 49ers and Rams, an animal rights group posted pictures of the protesters. The pictures showed the protesters smiling with their police-issued citations. Neither looked particularly injured, which legal analyst Steven Clark said could be a factor on whether Wagner faces any charges.
"Had their injuries been more serious, this would certainly be something that the DA would carefully review for criminal prosecution," Clark said. "What was Wagner's reason for injecting himself into this situation? He doesn't appear to be acting in self defense. He's not a police officer or a security guard."
The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office is not commenting on the incident at this time.
NBC Bay Area reached out to the protesters and their group, but did not get a response.
The 49ers are reviewing the situation with the NFL as they do routinely after any game. The team said fans should take security seriously.
