An Oregon woman filmed herself being forcibly removed from a Portland Thorns soccer game after she and a group of spectators displayed XX-XY Athletics shirts and a ‘Save Women’s Sports’ banner.
XX-XY Athletics is a clothing brand founded by Jennifer Sey that advocates for maintaining sex-based categories in women’s sports and opposes transgender women competing in female sports categories. Critics of the company’s messaging describe it as anti-trans, while the company says its position is intended to protect women’s sports.
The incident involved political commentator and podcast host Brandi Kruse, who was attending the Portland Thorns’ match against the North Carolina Courage at Providence Park. She shared a video of her removal and accused the team’s fans of assaulting her and her group. “I was just forcefully removed from a @ThornsFC game for the crime of wearing an @xx_xyathletics t-shirt. I am in shock. We peacefully wore our shirts. We were assaulted by fans. Then WE were forced to leave – with FORCE by stadium security. I am utterly in shock,” she wrote.
According to reporting on the incident, Kruse was part of a group of roughly 20 spectators who entered wearing their XX-XY Athletics shirts underneath other clothing. At the beginning of the second half, members of the group revealed the shirts and unfurled a large ‘Save Women’s Sports’ banner.
Other footage from the confrontation appears to show members of the group being struck with flagpoles as tensions escalated in the stands. Kruse also alleged that a 57-year-old woman with the group was pushed over rows of seats by another spectator.
In the video, fans could be heard booing as two security guards escorted Kruse out of the stadium. One guard held her arm as she repeatedly insisted that she had done nothing wrong. Additional footage indicates that security had instructed the group to leave before Kruse was physically removed, with Kruse later acknowledging that she was unwilling to leave voluntarily because she believed the group had done nothing wrong.
As the guards continued escorting Kruse outside, someone appeared to throw a drink at her. She then claimed that the stadium was not removing anyone else but her. “You guys should be ashamed of yourself. You should be [expletive] ashamed of yourself. That is ridiculous,” she told the guards as the video ended.
Another video filmed inside the stadium showed another member of the woman’s group facing angry fans. Several fans were waving transgender pride flags, while some gave the individual the middle finger. One fan also waved a scarf bearing the phrase “[expletive] Trump.”
In a third video, Kruse demanded an apology for how she and her group had been treated. It remains unclear whether she intends to take legal action.
The confrontation has since drawn attention from federal officials. OutKick reported Saturday that the U.S. Department of Justice is reviewing the incident after footage circulated showing other spectators confronting the group and security removing them.
The confrontation also highlighted the tension between the group’s message and the Portland Thorns’ LGBTQ-supportive fan community. The NWSL has a history of promoting LGBTQ inclusion, while fans and supporters’ groups have also advocated for transgender rights.
Viewers Express Outrage After Oregon Woman Is Kicked Out of Game
Many viewers online expressed outrage over Kruse and her group being removed from the game following the confrontation over their XX-XY Athletics shirts and ‘Save Women’s Sports’ banner. One commenter wrote, ‘Women thrown out of a WOMEN’S soccer game for wearing a shirt about women. Standing with you.’
More viewers criticized Kruse’s removal, with one person accusing the Portland Thorns of suppressing opposing views.
Questions remain about why the group was ordered to leave and how stadium rules were applied as tensions escalated between the two groups of spectators. The videos show Kruse refusing to leave voluntarily before security physically escorted her from the stadium, while other footage appears to show members of her group being confronted by spectators before their removal.
