Fans Booted from Stadium Over Pro-Woman Shirts, Then Attacked by Pro-Trans Activists with Flagpoles: Reports
A group of roughly 20 spectators at a Portland Thorns match were struck with flagpoles carrying transgender flags, verbally confronted, and then forcibly removed by stadium security after they revealed shirts and a banner supporting women’s sports.
The confrontation took place Friday during Portland’s National Women’s Soccer League game against the North Carolina Courage at Providence Park.
According to reporting by OutKick, the group kept their XX-XY Athletics shirts covered through the first half, then displayed them and unfurled a large “Save Women’s Sports” banner at the start of the second half.
Video captured nearby fans surrounding them with transgender “pride” flags.
Activist Amy Sousa later told OutKick, “We were attacked by fans. We were hit with flags.”
Security then restrained and escorted members of the XX-XY group out of the stands, including commentator Brandi Kruse, whose arm was held behind her back during the removal.
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OUTRAGEOUS: The U.S. Justice Department is investigating after Independent journalist Brandi Kruse was forcibly removed from a Portland Thorns NWSL game at Providence Park for the “crime” of wearing an XX-XY Athletics shirt that simply AFFIRMS the clear DIFFERENCE between men and women, according to Fox News Digital.
“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,” a department spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
“Based on what is known so far, the conduct described appears to raise viewpoint discrimination and First Amendment questions rather than s*x discrimination. The Department is reviewing it,” a DOJ official said. https://t.co/efJt7QBeLl
— RedWave Press (@RedWavePress) October 24, 2026
Another outrageous confrontation over free expression has erupted in women’s professional sports, and this time, independent journalist Brandi Kruse says she was physically removed from a Portland Thorns soccer game simply for wearing a shirt supporting sex-based protections in women’s athletics.
Kruse, host of the independent political commentary program unDivided, was escorted out of Providence Park in Portland, Oregon, on Friday night, October 23, during a National Women’s Soccer League match between the Portland Thorns FC and North Carolina Courage.
Read the rest of the story, link in the comments.
— The Gateway Pundit (@gatewaypundit) October 24, 2026
The U.S. Department of Justice said it is reviewing the episode.
A department spokesperson told Fox News Digital, “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.”
A separate DOJ official indicated the known facts raise potential viewpoint discrimination and First Amendment questions.
Portland police also confirmed two potential crimes were reported — alleged harassment and alleged vandalism — and said that off-duty officers were not involved in the initial removals.
No injuries were reported, and no immediate arrests were made.
DOJ reviewing Portland Thorns incident after women’s sports supporters attacked, forcibly removed by security: report
https://t.co/VNSKa8dMC7
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) October 26, 2026
Transgender flags were openly displayed throughout the stands and were not cited as a reason for any ejections. The XX-XY shirts and “Save Women’s Sports” banner were.
The stadium is owned by the City of Portland; the DOJ review is examining whether government involvement in the removals amounted to unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination.
OutKick noted that one 57-year-old woman in the group was shoved over seats by a male fan.
I am a J6er.
@BrandiKruse is one Trump rally away from being a J6er.
My friend and Conservaitve journalist was standing up for what she believed in and was dragged out of a Portland Thorns game for an XX-XY shirt. Peaceful. Political statement. Chanting “Save women’s sports.”
I wore a “Count all legal votes” shirt, AND chanted “Stop the Steal.”
Those two facts cemented My Illegal picketing charge.
Same thing. Yes I walked through an Open Door ans police let me into redressmygrievances.
The fans who hit Brandi’s group with flags, shoved a woman down the seats, and poured beer stayed. Security removed the women.
Give badges and authority to those same hate-filled violent leftist activist you have Metro and Capitol Police. Place the other leftist activists on the bench as judges and jury, well. That is the lawfare that hit J6ers.
Conservatives can’t get a fair trial in DC or Portland.
I pray Brandy doesn’t get a door knock in a month or a year with a disorderly Conduct charge and FBI raid if the Democrats take power again. Democrats will do it.
God Bless the J6ers.
God Bless anyone who stands up for what they truly believe in even in the face of leftist hate and violence and democrat cops just doing their job.
— John M. Cameron (@johnrockshomes) October 26, 2026
This was not an isolated event at Providence Park. In early September, another group wearing XX-XY Athletics apparel was removed from a Thorns match; stadium officials claimed the fans had distributed unapproved materials, a claim the group denied.
That earlier ejection followed the same pattern: Messages asserting that women’s sports categories exist for biological females triggered security action, while opposing messages did not.
Sousa and others filed police reports after Friday’s incident. The Thorns and the stadium operator have not responded to requests for comment on the DOJ review.
The episode leaves a clear practical question for a publicly owned venue: If one set of flags is permitted without issue and shirts stating biological reality are not, what rule is actually being applied?
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