Police arrested five people Monday night at Portland State University as students protested a scheduled speaking engagement by conservative activist and former swimmer Riley Gaines. The arrests occurred outside the Smith Memorial Student Union building where Gaines was set to speak.
The protest focused on Gaines's stance against allowing transgender athletes to compete in women's sports. She has become a vocal advocate on this issue, often speaking at colleges across the U.S.
The Portland Police Bureau (PPB) responded to a request from PSU's Campus Public Safety Office around 7 p.m. to assist with crowd control. Over the following 90 minutes, officers made the arrests.
Authorities identified those arrested as Levi M. Ewing, 27; Emery R. Hall, 34; Chiara L. Jacob, 24; Brian P. Michaelis, 20; and Garrett W. Redmond, 25. Charges included criminal mischief in the second and third degree, disorderly conduct in the second degree, and harassment. Damage, including kicking and graffiti, occurred to the student union building doors.
Gaines is known for tying for fifth place with transgender swimmer Lia Thomas at the 2022 NCAA Women's Championships. Her activism increased afterward. She appeared in a video for the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Women's Health supporting policies enacted during President Donald Trump's administration.
The event featuring Riley Gaines was not affiliated with the university, according to PPB, but sponsored by the Leadership Institute. Counter-protests and alternative events took place simultaneously, organized by various student groups including PSU's Students for a Democratic Society branch and Class. Some inclusive sporting events were held at the university's recreation center, such as a pride drop-in volleyball game hosted by the Queer Resource Center.
Angel Venegas, a regional manager with the Leadership Institute, stated that Gaines's message seeks to encourage conservative students on liberal campuses who may feel hesitant to express their views. Mason Wilder with the student organization Class described Gaines's message as hate speech and said the counter-protest aimed to raise awareness. Wilder stated that their group intends to be respectful and nonviolent while countering the event.
PSU is currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education regarding alleged civil rights violations, including Islamophobic flyers and antisemitism accusations. PSU student body president Brady Roland planned to attend the protest initially to ensure the safety of friends attending before moving to the pride volleyball event. She voiced concerns about the potential financial impact on the university if protests escalated, noting, "if we give them the footage or the accusations against us that they need to federally hurt us financially, that would be the end of our education."
