Milwaukee demonstrators yell ex-swimmer Riley Gaines' name during event discussing women's sports rights


Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines was the subject of demonstrators who gathered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Tuesday.

Videos shared with Fox News Digital showed demonstrators yelling, “Riley Gaines, go away” and “can’t swim, Riley,” among other insults. Gaines is a former University of Kentucky swimmer and received All-American honors 12-times.

Gaines took to X, the company formerly known as Twitter, and shared a video of what appeared to be an organized rally in Milwaukee. 

“For this reason and this reason only, I’ll be quitting my activism of fighting to protecting women’s sports and single-sex spaces. Things like this have become FAR too intimidating and happen way too often. This was the final straw…” Gaines wrote in the post accompanied by the video.

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Riley Gaines

Riley Gaines, American competitive swimmer, speaks before Florida Governor and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis at the Greenville Convention Center on Friday, June 2, 2023. (MCKENZIE LANGE/Staff/USA TODAY NETWORK)

Gaines has been outspoken on the debate on whether transgender athletes should compete in women’s sports. She appeared on a flyer for the Leadership Institute, which took place on Tuesday in Wisconsin.

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About 15 minutes after Riley shared the video of the demonstrators, she provided another updated.

“Sike! If you really think this does anything other than make me chuckle and resort to prayer for them, you would be wrong. Trans genocide does not exist. I’m advocating for the bare minimum: privacy, safety, and fairness for women. & I CAN swim,” Riley wrote in the social media post accompanied by a selfie.

Riley Gaines at a DeSantis event

Riley Gaines, American competitive swimmer, speaks before Florida Governor and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis at the Greenville Convention Center on Friday, June 2, 2023. (MCKENZIE LANGE/Staff/USA TODAY NETWORK)

Earlier this month, Gaines targeted by “hostile” demonstrators that gathered in Texas in opposition of the “Save Women’s Sports Act.”

Gaines was joined by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and others at the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame at Texas Woman’s University in Denton for a ceremonial signing of the bill, which was previously signed into law in June. 

A photo of Riley Gaines

Former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines speaks at an event.  (The Leadership Institute)

Attendees said demonstrators at the scene threw items and spat at those who gathered in support of the legislation.

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A public information officer with the Texas Woman’s University Police Department told Fox News Digital that one suspect was apprehended and issued a citation for misdemeanor assault.

Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.

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