Independent journalist Brandi Kruse says stadium security forced her out of a Portland Thorns match at Providence Park and offered no explanation, describing the incident in an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham. OutKick reported the episode occurred Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, during a National Women’s Soccer League game.
What Kruse says happened
Asked by Ingraham whether officials told her why she was removed, Kruse replied, “None. It’s been three days … you hear me in the video demand that security tell me, when they say ‘you need to leave,’ and I say, ‘we didn’t do anything wrong.’ And she says, ‘you know what you did?’ And I said, ‘I have no idea what I did.’”
Kruse said she refused to leave voluntarily: “If they’re going to ask me to leave, I’m going to make them own that decision and they’re going to have to put their hands on me and drag me out of this stadium, because I’m not leaving of my own free will.” She added that she has not received an explanation.
According to Kruse, security confirmed they were not police. She also said OutKick’s Matt Calkins, who was covering the game, was “assaulted” by a crowd and that “his press pass was ripped from his chest by a security guard.”
What led up to it, per OutKick
OutKick reported that a group of around 20 women wore XX-XY shirts to the game and unfurled a “Save Women’s Sports” banner. The outlet said nearby fans confronted the group and alleged verbal and physical aggression, including beer being dumped and flags swung at them.
What the Thorns said, per the Fox News segment
Ingraham said the team stated it is “committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment for everyone,” that “security and enforcement decisions are managed locally,” and that it is reviewing those actions to ensure policies were “applied appropriately and consistently.”
Who made the call?
Kruse said it is unclear who ordered the ejection, noting that Providence Park is owned by the City of Portland and operated by Peregrine Sports, with the Thorns as tenants. “We don’t know who ultimately made the call,” she told Ingraham.
What’s still unclear
The OutKick article and Fox News segment did not include a response from stadium operators, local authorities, or an independently sourced incident report. Key details—including who directed security to remove the group and whether any formal complaints were filed—remain unconfirmed in the provided material.
