Portland Protest Over Transgender Athletes Draws Opposing Demonstrators Near Women’s Sports Bar
PORTLAND, Ore. — Two groups of demonstrators confronted one another Friday near The Sports Bra in Northeast Portland following a dispute earlier in the week over transgender athletes in women’s sports.
Portland Transgender Protest
Portland police said officers responded to the 2500 block of Northeast Broadway at about 5:45 p.m. as activists and conservative demonstrators gathered near the women’s sports bar. No arrests were made.
Conservative livestreamer Thomas Allen’s online video showed demonstrators shouting at one another across Northeast Broadway before the confrontation moved into a parking lot across from the bar and later into a nearby Fred Meyer and its parking lot.
The demonstrations followed an incident earlier in the week in which employees of The Sports Bra asked guests to leave after they refused requests to cover clothing carrying what the bar described as “trans-exclusionary messaging.”
- Sept. 6, 2026: Group removed from Providence Park, then asked to cover messaging or leave The Sports Bra.
- Sept. 8: The Sports Bra publishes a statement defending its decision and supporting transgender athletes.
- Sept. 11: Opposing demonstrators gather near the bar. Police respond around 5:45 p.m. No arrests are made.
In a Sept. 8 statement, The Sports Bra said the establishment was created to support girls and women in sports and emphasized that LGBTQ+ customers are welcome. The bar said it supports transgender girls and women participating in sports.
The business said the guests had been repeatedly asked to cover the messaging and remain at the establishment, but refused. It said video of the encounter was subsequently posted online, followed by what it described as a wave of hostile messages, negative reviews and efforts to provoke further confrontations.
The Sports Bra said its policy prohibits threatening, abusive, discriminatory, demeaning or exclusionary language, images, signs, symbols, apparel and conduct, regardless of the viewpoint being expressed.