Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines was assaulted on Thursday night at San Francisco State University where she was speaking out against biological men competing in women’s sports.

Gaines is a former University of Kentucky swimmer who had to compete against trans swimmer Lia Thomas. She was brave enough to call out the unfairness of letting transgender women compete against biological women in athletic events.

Riley Gaines

On Thursday, she spoke at a Turning Point USA and Leadership Institute event at SFSU to advocate for fairness in women’s sports.

During her speech, she was mobbed by a group of trans activists who became loud and aggressive toward Gaines, leading police officers to rush her out of the venue and barricade her in a room for protection.

At some point, a man wearing a dress physically assaulted Gaines, which she told her husband Louis Barker about while she was barricaded in the room for almost three hours.

“She told me she was hit multiple times by a guy in a dress,” said Barker. “I was shaking. It made me that mad. It makes me sick to feel so helpless about it. She was under police protection and was still hit by a man wearing a dress.”

Eli Bremer, Gaines’ agent, gave a statement about the night’s horrifying events. He said, “Tonight, Riley Gaines spoke at San Francisco State University to share her personal story of competing against a biological male athlete, Lia Thomas, at the Women’s NCAA Swimming Championships last year.”

“In the past year, her goal in speaking at universities has been to educate her peers about her experience and what the impact of the growing number of biological males in women’s sports will do to the integrity of Title IX. She has been questioned in civil and somewhat uncivil manners about her views many times, and she thoroughly encourages diverse viewpoints and debate on this issue.

“Instead of a thoughtful discussion tonight at SFSU, Riley was violently assaulted, shouted at, physically assaulted, and barricaded in a room by protestors. It is stunning that in America in 2023, it is acceptable for biological male students to violently assault a woman for standing up for women’s rights.

“This will not stop Riley from boldly educating people of the dangers of biological males in women’s sports. She will continue to speak the truth against the radical left that no longer understands the difference between men and women.”

After the pro-trans activists violently interrupted her speech, Gaines posted footage on Twitter from the event as she was being escorted to a safe room by police officers. She wrote, “The prisoners are running the asylum at SFSU…I was ambushed and physically hit twice by a man. This is proof that women need sex-protected spaces. Still only further assures me I’m doing something right. When they want you silent, speak louder.”

SFSU’s Golden Gate Xpress recorded the majority of the events, showing when protestors began entering the building, when Gaines had to be escorted to safety by police, and when the Assistant Dean of Students had to be brought on-site to implore the protestors to peacefully disperse.

On Twitter, the student-run news source posted a video of pro-trans activists checking in to the event in order to protest from the inside. While these protestors were not allowed to bring their signs into the event space, those who got in made new signs on the back of TPUSA fliers that were handed out.

Once the room reached its 75-person capacity, Gaines began her speech around 7:05 pm. Inside the room, protestors could be heard screaming outside.

More protestors began to get into the building and into the hallway outside the room Gaines was in, yelling and disrupting the event.

Around 8:30 pm, the event ended and attendees exited the room as the protestors flooded in. Gaines was quickly escorted out of the room by police officers, as protestors mobbed her.

After failing to get the rowdy crowd to calm down, the police called in Assistant Dean of Students Chris Trudell. “I want to offer that this conversation that we’re having as a community, as a campus can continue,” Trudell said.

Eventually, after many failed attempts to disperse the angry crowd, San Francisco police announced that whoever was refusing the leave the protest would be arrested immediately.

Finally, at 11:38 pm, Gaines was escorted off campus.

Join The Conversation. Leave a Comment.


We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.