Chaos erupted at an Oregon college Monday night as five people were arrested for protesting a speech given by former college swimmer and trans-athlete critic Riley Gaines.
Gaines, a 12-time NCAA All-American swimmer who gained a following speaking out against transgender athletes competing against female athletes, was scheduled to give a talk at Portland State University’s Smith Memorial Student Union, KPTV reported.
Video shared on X by Andy Ngo showed fired-up protesters trying to open the doors of the student union as police worked to keep them out.
Students can be heard yelling “F*** you, pigs!” in the clip, which Gaines later retweeted, writing, “They really are such a joyful, tolerant bunch.”
Several dozen protesters lined the sidewalk outside where Gaines was speaking, with many holding signs expressing support for transgender rights, KGW reported.
Police were called to the campus around 7 p.m. to help with crowd control. Five people were arrested for “various crimes,” police said.
It was not immediately clear whether the protesters arrested were students at the university. Police said their names and charges would be released later.
Several student groups, including “PSU Students United for Palestine Equal Rights” had planned protests against Gaines’ visit. The conservative activist’s event was not affiliated with the university, authorities said.
Gaines’ speech at the university was not publicly broadcast.
Gaines, who tied for fifth place in the 200-yard final against transgender athlete Lia Thomas, has since filed a lawsuit against the NCAA, accusing it of violating their Title IX rights by allowing Thomas to compete at the national championships in 2022.
