Former College Swimmer Riley Gaines 'Ambushed & Physically Hit' By Pro-Trans Protestors Following Speech About Protecting Women's Sports
April 7 2023, Published 11:30 a.m. ET
Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines was allegedly “ambushed and physically hit” this week after giving a speech about protecting women’s sports from transgender athletes, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The alleged attack took place on Thursday night at San Francisco State University shortly after Gaines spoke at a Turning Point USA and Leadership Institute event held at the school.
According to Fox News, the 12-time All-American swimmer was forced to be barricaded in a room on the third floor of a university building due to the backlash she received from pro-trans protesters.
Gaines also uploaded a video of herself being rushed out of the venue by police officers as protestors are seen surrounding the former college swimmer and ambushing her with shouting and verbal attacks.
"The prisoners are running the asylum at SFSU...I was ambushed and physically hit twice by a man," Gaines tweeted on Thursday night alongside a video clip of the incident. "This is proof that women need sex-protected spaces.”
“Still only further assures me I'm doing something right,” she continued. “When they want you silent, speak louder."
Louis Barker, Gaines’ husband, also spoke out to claim his wife was allegedly attacked by “a guy in a dress” despite being under police protection for nearly three hours.
"She told me she was hit multiple times by a guy in a dress. I was shaking. It made me that mad. It makes me sick to feel so helpless about it," Barker said.
"She was under police protection and was still hit by a man wearing a dress."
The Independent Women's Forum (IWF), for which Gaines serves as a spokesperson, condemned the alleged attack against the former NCAA swimmer shortly after it took place Thursday night.
"Riley was violently accosted, ambushed, and physically assaulted during a speech on sex discrimination women face in their own single-sex sports category," said Victoria Coley, vice president for communications for the IWF.
"Riley is courageous in speaking up for truth, science and common sense,” Coley continued. “She has experienced firsthand the injustice female athletes face across America in their own sport."
Neither the San Francisco Police Department nor San Francisco State University has yet released a statement regarding the alleged attack against Gaines on Thursday night following her speech.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Gaines first became an outspoken critic of transgender athletes competing in women’s sports after she tied trans swimmer Lia Thomas for fifth place in the 200-yard freestyle race at the NCAA female swimming championships in March 2022.
Never miss a story — sign up for the RadarOnline.com newsletter to get your daily dose of dope. Daily. Breaking. Celebrity news. All free.
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Gaines has since made a career of speaking out in support of protecting women’s sports from trans athletes and, shortly before her speech in Seattle on Thursday, she condemned Nike’s recent partnership with transgender TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney.
"Nike joins the growing list of companies who find it acceptable to disrespect women by making a sad mockery of what being a woman entails," Gaines complained this week. "The message Nike sends to all girls and women is that men can do everything better.”
