Riley Gaines: ‘I will be pursuing legal action’ in wake of assault at SFSU

SFSU memo claims protest was peaceful

Female sports activist Riley Gaines said she plans to pursue legal action after she was assaulted and essentially held hostage in a classroom by pro-trans activists at San Francisco State University.

“The campus police did nothing. The dean of students was there and did nothing. There will be no repercussions unless I have something to do with it,” Gaines told “Fox & Friends” on Saturday, the New York Post reported.

“I will be pursuing legal action,” Gaines said. “These people need to face repercussions.”

Gaines is a leading voice in the national battle to block biological males from competing in women’s sports and an accomplished former University of Kentucky swimmer who competed against transgender swimmer Lia Thomas.

On Thursday, after giving a speech on “Saving Women’s Sports” at SFSU, she said she “was ambushed and physically hit twice by a man.”

Videos also show her being escorted through a hallway with police officers and others hovering near her in a protective mode as a chanting mob of students and others holding cameras followed close behind yelling expletives.

She was then blocked inside a classroom for several hours by demonstrators, who spoke of demanding money to let her out, videos show.

Gaines has expressed anger over SFSU’s statement that claimed the protest was peaceful and did not mention Gaines nor offer her an apology — and actually thanked the protesters instead.

“Thank you to our students who participated peacefully in Thursday evening’s event,” the memo from Jamillah Moore, vice president for student affairs, stated in part.

“It took tremendous bravery to stand in a challenging space. I am proud of the moments where we listened and asked insightful questions. I am also proud of the moments when our students demonstrated the value of free speech and the right to protest peacefully.”

Gaines expressed shock at the memo’s content.

“I’m sorry did this just say PEACEFUL…. I was assaulted,” she tweeted Saturday. “I was extorted and held for random. The protestors demanded I pay them if I wanted to make it home safely. I missed my flight home because I was barricaded in a classroom… We must have different definitions of peaceful.”

I'm sorry did this just say PEACEFUL…. I was assaulted. I was extorted and held for random. The protestors demanded I pay them if I wanted to make it home safely. I missed my flight home because I was barricaded in a classroom…

We must have different definitions of peaceful. https://t.co/izxoCF1IFs

— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) April 9, 2023

In a tweet on Sunday, Gaines again mentioned legal action and also called out Moore, the administrator who wrote the memo.

“The woman who released the statement following the riot where I was verbally and physically assaulted at @SFSU (to which she called peaceful) blocked me. I guess it’s easier for her to ignore me than to denounce violence against women. She won’t be able to ignore my lawsuit,” Gaines tweeted.

The woman who released the statement following the riot where I was verbally and physically assaulted at @SFSU (to which she called peaceful) blocked me.

I guess it's easier for her to ignore me than to denounce violence against women. She won't be able to ignore my lawsuit🤗 pic.twitter.com/4RHsYsTNCw

— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) April 9, 2023

Additional details continue to emerge regarding Thursday night’s melee, including another attendee in support of Gaines who said she was shoved by a pro-trans protester.

The moment when I was shoved by a crazy leftist who was trying to attack @Riley_Gaines_ last Thursday night at SFSU. @TPUSA @tpusastudents @charliekirk11 #IStandWithRileyGaines #tpusa #turningpointUSA pic.twitter.com/E6pW00jxcI

— Amber Kleinke (@realamber_k96) April 9, 2023