DOJ Reviews Reported Forceful Ejection of Brandi Kruse and Other XX-XY Shirt-Wearing Fans
The U.S. Department of Justice is reviewing reports about the forceful removal of independent journalist Brandi Kruse from a Portland Thorns soccer game in Portland, Oregon.
The incident happened Friday night, October 23, at Providence Park during a National Women’s Soccer League match between the Portland Thorns FC and North Carolina Courage. Kruse, host of the independent political commentary program unDivided, says she was escorted out because she was wearing a shirt from XX-XY Athletics.
XX-XY Athletics was founded by former Levi’s executive Jennifer Sey. The company advocates keeping female athletic categories based on biological sex. Kruse has described the shirt as support for sex-based protections in women’s sports.
According to Kruse’s account, she and other supporters peacefully wore the shirts before opposing fans confronted and assaulted them. She said stadium security then removed her group instead of the people she accused of attacking them.
The dispute has now drawn federal attention. On Saturday morning, FOX News reporter Jackson Thompson reported that the Justice Department was reviewing Kruse’s removal and the treatment of other fans wearing the same shirts.
Thompson reported that the department was aware of the allegations and would examine the facts and applicable law.
“The Justice Department is aware of these reports and will review the matter thoroughly. Where the facts and the law warrant action, the Department will not hesitate to act.”
The report also quoted a DOJ spokesperson:
“Based on what is known so far, the conduct described appears to raise viewpoint discrimination and First Amendment questions rather than sex discrimination. The Department is reviewing it.”
That distinction is central to the case. The department’s statement frames the matter around possible viewpoint discrimination and constitutional questions, rather than describing it as a sex discrimination investigation.
For supporters of the XX-XY message, the incident is about whether people can be removed from a soccer match for peacefully expressing a political position. For the Justice Department, the immediate task is to determine what happened, how security responded, and whether the conduct described raises legal concerns.
The report does not announce a final DOJ finding or enforcement action. For now, the department is reviewing the reports surrounding Kruse’s ejection and the treatment of the other fans.
The controversy has also placed a spotlight on the growing clash over sex-based categories in women’s athletics. The shirt was designed to support biological distinctions in sports, while the removal allegations have shifted attention to free expression and the handling of opposing viewpoints inside a stadium.
Thompson shared the department’s statement on X:
Source: The Gateway Pundit
BREAKING: The US Department of Justice is reviewing the forceful ejection of fans wearing XX-XY t-shirts at Friday's Portland Thorns game.
"The Justice Department is aware of these reports and will review the matter thoroughly. Where the facts and the law warrant action, the…
— Jackson Thompson (@JackThompsonFOX) October 24, 2026