HOUSTON – Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo claimed she was physically shoved and threatened with arrest by security staff at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in a now-deleted Facebook post.
However, HLSR officials said in a statement that Hidalgo and her group tried to access the dirt area without valid tickets. During the reported confrontation, they said they were directing the group back to their original seating.
After HLSR released its response, Judge Hidalgo published a two-page letter addressed to high-ranking rodeo executives surrounding the situation.
Wednesday night, KPRC 2’s Bryce Newberry spoke to a RodeoHouston source, who confirmed the following information regarding Judge Hidalgo’s participation in the rodeo in 2026:
Lina Hidalgo had suite tickets to Megan Moroney.
Since chute seats were sold out, officials asked her to return to the suite multiple times. Eventually, they asked her to leave altogether when she refused to return to her assigned suite.
Lina Hidalgo is the only elected official to ask for chute tickets in the 2026 HLSR season.
So far this Rodeo season, Lina Hidalgo has visited the Rodeo at least 3 other times and been given 21 chute tickets for free, which have a total value of nearly $9,000.
Judge Hidalgo’s Facebook Post
Late Tuesday, Judge Hidalgo released a lengthy post on Facebook describing what she says happened earlier that night, when she attended the Megan Moroney concert at NRG Stadium with several guests.
SEE ALSO: Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo walks out of Commissioners Court over doorway dispute
In the since-deleted Facebook post, Hidalgo explained that she serves as the Ex-Officio Director because of her political position as County Judge.
However, she said she was told by security that the rodeo director had made a change preventing her from accessing the dirt area.
“The head of Security for the entire rodeo was also there blocking us,” she said in the post.
Hidalgo said that when she disputed the order and waited to talk to the director, she was “physically shoved and threatened with arrest” by security.
“They took to physically grabbing and pushing the County Executive of the third largest county in the nation,” she continued.
When the director arrived, Hidalgo said officials would not let her find witnesses to the alleged shoving, and she was asked to leave the stadium. Hidalgo said she had to leave her guests “to watch the concert elsewhere.”
She added that she has footage of officials escorting two children in her entourage out as well.
Hidalgo also alleged that the security personnel were influenced by political differences and sexism in their efforts to “keep a county leader out.”
“If it had been a different county executive, a man, I’m willing to bet nobody would’ve been shoved… and things would’ve been just fine.”
Rodeo Officials Release Statement
HLSR officials offered this statement when asked about the Hidalgo situation:
“On March 10, during the sold-out Megan Moroney concert, Judge Lina Hidalgo attempted to access the dirt area without a valid chute seat ticket. Additionally, she attempted to bring several guests, also without chute seat tickets. Rodeo security advised that dirt access is limited to chute seat ticket holders only, a premium ticket priced at $425 and the group was directed back to their ticketed seating.”
MORE FROM THE RODEO: Free entry to RodeoHouston today: How to save big on rides, games and food
Judge Hidalgo Responds to HLSR With Letter
Wednesday evening, Lina Hidalgo released a two-page letter addressed to HLSR Chairman of the Board Pat Mann Phillips and President/CEO Chris Boleman.
In the new letter, Hidalgo expanded on her account of the confrontation, reiterating her allegations that she was grabbed, shoved, and threatened by security officials.
She said she was denied access to the dirt area because she did not have a wristband — something she said surprised her because she has never needed one in the past.
“I have always been allowed on the dirt based on the county’s relationship with the rodeo, regardless of wristband,” Hidalgo wrote in the letter. “Nobody has ever told me I needed a special pass to access the dirt.”
She also recounted a moment when a young girl in her group was allegedly heckled by a man in the crowd. When the child’s mother asked rodeo officials to intervene, Hidalgo wrote that they responded, “Well, I told you to leave” — a request Hidalgo said had never previously been made.
“I felt disrespected, threatened and physically unsafe — as did my guests and the kids,” Hidalgo wrote. “While I appreciate the work that the rodeo staff and volunteers do to manage such a large event, I cannot be complacent.”
Hidalgo also echoed sentiments from her earlier social media post, suggesting the alleged treatment may have been influenced by her ethnicity, gender, and political standing.
“These days, not only are we fighting a war abroad, but some people, mostly white men, have felt emboldened to treat others, particularly Hispanics, with physical force,” Hidalgo wrote. “I don’t travel without my passport anymore. Many of us do, especially those of us who are not white-passing.”
Hidalgo also suggested she may avoid the area in the future, citing concerns about her safety.
“I will not go near that area again,” she wrote. “But I have never felt so unempowered as a woman as I did yesterday.”
READ THE FULL LETTERHouston Police Officers’ Union Reacts
Hidalgo’s allegations sparked a public dispute after the Houston Police Officers’ Union (HPOU) posted a satirical AI-generated comic referencing the incident.
The Facebook post was captioned saying, “Disclaimer: Satire. Any resemblance to real persons, actual events from last night, elected officials, or people who believe the rules don’t apply to them is purely coincidental.”
The post featured a comic depicting a woman resembling Judge Hidalgo — with an “I’m the County Judge” speech bubble for good measure — being led away from the rodeo by an officer. The comic was titled, “The Face You Make When You Get Kicked Out of the Rodeo.”
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