The U.S. Department of Justice says it is reviewing the forceful removal of a group of spectators from a Portland Thorns soccer game last Friday night after they displayed shirts and a banner opposing transgender participation in women’s sports.
About 20 attendees at the Portland Thorns vs. North Carolina Courage NWSL match wore XX-XY Athletics shirts, which they revealed during the second half, and unfurled a banner reading “Save Women’s Sports.” The group included activist Amy Sousa and political commentator Brandi Kruse.
Video from the game shows members of the group being struck with flagpoles carrying transgender pride flags, confronted with profane language from other fans, and then physically removed from the stadium by security staff. Sousa told OutKick that she and other attendees filed police reports after the incident.
“We were attacked by fans. We were hit with flags,” Sousa said.
Despite describing themselves as the ones targeted, members of the group were the ones escorted out by security. Footage showed a guard restraining Kruse’s arm behind her back as she was walked through the stands; she questioned why she and others were being removed rather than the people who confronted them.
An OutKick reporter covering the scene, Matt Calkins, said his phone was knocked from his hand and beer was poured on his neck while he documented the confrontation. A security guard also briefly pulled his press credential from around his neck during an interview with Sousa before returning it moments later.
DOJ says it is looking at the matter
A Department of Justice spokesperson told Fox News Digital the agency is aware of the reports and will review them.
“The Justice Department is aware of these reports and will review the matter thoroughly. Where the facts and the law warrant action, the Department will not hesitate to act,” the spokesperson said.
A DOJ official separately indicated that, based on what is known so far, the circumstances appear to raise questions of viewpoint discrimination and First Amendment protections rather than sex discrimination, but said the department still needs to complete its review before drawing conclusions.
This is a developing story.
