Riley Gaines says she was hit by activist, ambushed by pro-trans mob at San Francisco State

Former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines said she was hit by an activist and forced to barricade in a room to escape an enraged pro-transgender mob after a speech advocating for single-sex women’s sports at San Francisco State University.
 
“I was ambushed and physically hit twice by a man,” said Ms. Gaines in a statement posted Friday by the Independent Women’s Forum. “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.”
 
Louis Barker, husband of the former University of Kentucky swimmer, said she told him that she was struck by a man wearing a dress even as she was being protected by campus police at the Thursday appearance.
 
“She told me she was hit multiple times by a guy in a dress,” Mr. Barker told Fox News Digital. “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.”
 
He said he spoke to her while she remained barricaded in the room for about three hours after the speech.
 
Going viral Friday was a video showing a mob of screaming protesters following Ms. Gaines as officers hustled her down a corridor and into a room.
 
“Last night, IWF Spokeswoman Riley Gaines was violently accosted, ambushed, and physically assaulted during a speech at San Francisco State University,” said the IWF statement. “We strongly condemn the violence perpetrated against Riley as she spoke on the sex discrimination women face in their own single-sex sports category.”
 
After Ms. Gaines was barricaded, demonstrators outside the door continued to yell obscenities and slogans such as “trans women are women” and “trans rights are human rights,” as shown in the video.
 
The university released a statement from the University Police Department saying that no protesters were detained and the episode is under investigation.
 
“We are conducting an ongoing investigation into the situation. There were no arrests related to the event,” said the email. “The disruption occurred after the conclusion of the event which made it necessary for UPD officers to move the event speaker from the room to a different, safe location.”

Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee Republican, tweeted: “San Francisco State University and law enforcement must take immediate action to hold those who assaulted @Riley_Gaines_accountable. We will not allow the violent radical left mob to silence us.”
 
Another video showed a large crowd waiting outside the room trying to figure out what to do next. One man says, “Tell her to pay us. Tell her to pay us and she can go. Ten bucks each.” Another says, “Make her lose her flight.”
 
Conservative commentator Matt Walsh tweeted: “This is kidnapping.”
 
Ms. Gaines “should pursue felony charges against every single person in that hallway,” he said. “They all should be expelled and thrown in prison. There is nothing ambiguous about this. Harassment, intimidation, kidnapping. Go after them, Riley. Make them pay.”

Ms. Gaines began speaking out against male-born athletes who identify as women competing in female sports after she raced against Lia Thomas at the 2022 NCAA Division I women’s swimming championships. They tied for fifth in the 200 freestyle.
 

We strongly condemn the violence perpetrated against @iwf spokeswoman @Riley_Gaines_ on @SFSU campus. Riley was violently accosted, ambushed, and physically assaulted during a speech on sex discrimination women face in their own single-sex sports category. pic.twitter.com/uhND8UY2jX

— Independent Women’s Forum (@IWF) April 7, 2023

Ms. Gaines said afterward that the judges only had one fifth-place trophy, which they gave to Lia Thomas. Ms. Gaines was later mailed a duplicate trophy.
 
Lia Thomas, a former University of Pennsylvania swimmer, became the first biological male to win a women’s NCAA Division I title by taking first in the 500 freestyle, fueling a national debate over fairness versus inclusion in women’s sports.
 
Those backing Ms. Gaines after the San Francisco melee included ESPN host Sage Steele, who tweeted: “Stay strong @Riley_Gaines_ …you have more people than you know supporting you & standing up to this madness.”

This is kidnapping. @Riley_Gaines_ should pursue felony charges against every single person in that hallway. They all should be expelled and thrown in prison. There is nothing ambiguous about this. Harassment, intimidation, kidnapping. Go after them, Riley. Make them pay. https://t.co/NJyFQ9gwYq

— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) April 7, 2023