Riley Gaines condemns attacks at Texas bill signing: 'Incredibly disheartening'
Former NCAA swimmers Riley Gaines and Paula Scanlan joined 'Fox & Friends' to discuss the incident and the importance of protecting women's sports.
A large group of demonstrators gathered outside Texas Woman’s University in Denton earlier this week to protest Gov. Greg Abbott’s ceremonial signing of the "Save Women’s Sports Act."
While some in attendance were subject to objects and vulgarities being hurled at them, former NCAA Division I swimmer Paula Scanlan is hopeful that their message is still heard above all else.
Paula Scanlan, former University of Pennsylvania swimmer, testifies during a House Judiciary subcommittee hearing titled the "The Dangers and Due Process Violations of 'Gender-Affirming Care' for Children," on Capitol Hill, July 27, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
"It’s really important that everybody remembers that it’s for the next generation that needs to be protected."
Scanlan, a former member of the University of Pennsylvania’s swimming team, and Riley Gaines, 12-time NCAA All-American swimmer, spoke to "Fox & Friends" on Wednesday about the protests that erupted following Monday’s ceremonial signing of SB 15, which was previously signed into law in June.
"It’s nothing we haven’t experienced before, to be honest," Gaines said.
Riley Gaines, American competitive swimmer, speaks before Ron DeSantis, Florida governor and presidential candidate, at the Greenville Convention Center on June 2, 2023. (McKenzie Lange/ Staff/USA Today Network)
"These are protesters who are the most hateful, vengeful, violent – really soulless people and they do it in the name of love. They do it in the name of inclusion and tolerance and acceptance and all of those things, but that’s not what we experienced. We experienced vitriol."
Independent Women's Network's Austin chapter leader Michelle Evans told Fox News Digital after the event that she was assaulted when she left the building to observe the protest, which she estimated to be a crowd of around 250.
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Evans said water was thrown at her and she was physically blocked from trying to return to the building. She also said one protester, who was later apprehended, had spit into her eye.
"It’s incredibly just disheartening, really," Gaines added Wednesday.
Scanlan, who was a member of Penn’s women’s team alongside transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, said she was surprised to see that some of the signs held by protesters did not address women’s sports.
"I was very interested to see that some of these signs had nothing to do with sports at all. It was almost like they didn’t even know why they were there."
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Scanlan added that she was most shocked by the vulgarities uttered in front of the young girls who attended the bill signing.
"To curse at children in front of their families, is just really not OK."
Paula Scanlan was a member of Penn’s women’s team alongside transgender swimmer Lia Thomas. (Jasper Colt-USA Today)
Scanlan told "Fox & Friends" that working as an advocate for women’s rights after college has "changed the course" of her life.
"It’s not about me, it’s not about Riley – it’s really important that we stand up for young girls who don’t have a voice yet. And if we can prevent young girls from going through what we went through, then it's worth it."
She continued. "It’s really important that everybody remembers that it’s for the next generation that needs to be protected."