Atlanta Braves fans doing the "tomahawk chop." Photo from The Knockoff Economy

The American Indian Community House pulled out of a "Native American Heritage Day" event after the New York Mets refused to allow the group to make public service announcements or perform pre-game activities.

The reason for the watering down? The Mets are playing the Atlanta Braves on July 25 and the team didn't want to stir controversy over Indian mascots and the infamous "tomahawk chop."

The Mets seemed “only to be interested in holding a Native American Heritage Day without the culture, Tiani Osborn, a managing member of NativeOne Institutional Trading, which agreed to co-sponsor the event, told The New York Times.

The Mets originally agreed to allow two public announcements during the game and for drumming and dancing outside the stadium before the game. The team explained why it changed its mind.

“It was brought to my attention that we need to be sensitive to the Braves being a partner MLB team and can’t put them in a situation for a potentially negative environment to be brought upon them,” a team official told AICH in an e-mail, the Times reported.

AICH is asking the team to refund its $2,000 deposit for tickets to the day's game.

Get the Story:
Mets Alter Event, Upsetting American Indian Group (The New York Times 7/10)