Two People detained during free speech rally featuring athlete Riley Gaines

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Two people were detained on the HUB-Robeson Lawn Tuesday after alleged disorderly conduct. They were attending the Turning Point USA-sponsored event, which brought in former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines.

Police were surrounding the HUB lawn. One person, supporting transgender athletes, flipped a table over while yelling in someone’s face. The other person told someone, who was against transgender athletes, “to die” and walked away.

The two people were escorted by several police officers to an alleyway between the Biobehavioral Health building and the HUB. They were handcuffed and put into separate police cars.

Names and possible charges are unknown at this time.

Gaines is traveling across the United States to high schools and colleges, speaking out against transgender athletes and her personal experiences.

The former athlete competed against Lia Thomas, the first openly transwoman in D1 champion sports, in the 200-yard NCAA freestyle championship in 2022.

Gaines and Thomas tied for fifth place. According to a New York Post article, Gaines said, “Think about this: 1940s, World War II. Men lied about their age to get in to enlist. Now, in 2023, we have men lying about their sex to get into women’s sports or women’s prisons or domestic shelters or sororities or bathrooms, locker rooms.”

The University of Kentucky alum claimed Oct. 10 as Real Women’s Day. Gaines took to her X saying, “This October 10th (X/X), we're celebrating Real Women's Day. Ya know, the kind that can give birth and breastfeed and menstruate and lack a Y chromosome. The only kind of women.”

Gaines was speaking to supporters and protesters using a megaphone, however, she could not be heard. Protestors were chanting “You can’t swim” and “Trans-lives matter.” They also brought symbols and other noisemakers.

Supporters were walking around with posters, some saying “Don’t cancel America’s women on XX #RealWomensDay or any day.”

This is a developing story, follow along with CommRadio for updates.

Emily McGlynn is a fourth-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email esm5378@psu.edu.