The Department of Justice is investigating the expulsion of ‘Save Women’s Sports’ activists from a Portland Thorns soccer match due to potential First Amendment rights violations. Women’s sports activist Amy Sousa and host Harris Faulkner discussed the incident and its ramifications.
At the match, approximately 20 activists from XX-XY Athletics, wearing shirts with their organization’s name, were forcibly removed. This followed conflicts where some group members were physically and verbally attacked by other attendees during their demonstration supporting female-only sports.
Amy Sousa told OutKick that she and fellow activists filed police reports following their removal from the stadium. During a Tuesday appearance on “The Faulkner Focus,” Sousa stated that they were attacked with food, beer, flags, and poles.
Save Women’s Sports activists faced opposition from a group of trans supporters after displaying a “Save Women’s Sports” banner and wearing their shirts at the October 23, 2026, match.
“This is political theater. We went with a clear message: ‘Save women’s sports.’ We were removed from a women’s sporting event for supporting this cause,” Sousa stated. “Our purpose is to highlight these issues, which impact girls from elementary to high school levels, as well as professional athletics.”
Sousa claimed their shirts did not violate any policy, positing that they were removed because security was unable to protect them from harassers. She questioned why they were ousted instead of those causing the disturbance.
OutKick reached out for comments from the Director of Security, Jim McCausland, and the Thorns’ communication office regarding why XX-XY attendees were expelled while the alleged harassers were not. No clarifications were provided.
Reporter Matt Calkins, who was present at the match, documented the confrontation but faced verbal and physical hostility himself. He was insulted, physically attacked, and his press credential was temporarily seized by a security guard.
This instance was not isolated, as Sousa mentioned a previous ejection over similar issues in early September, where she faced accusations of being “transphobic.” Despite these challenges, Sousa remains committed to her advocacy efforts.
“This is about protecting the integrity of sex-based competition,” Sousa asserted. “It is about ensuring equal athletic opportunities and safeguarding fair competition and safety for girls, as promised by Title IX.” She referred to a recent instance in Camas, Washington, where 12 girls left the field due to competing against a boy, underlining that young girls should not have to become activists but require adult support.
OutKick’s Matt Calkins and Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.