Protester arrested outside of Riley Gaines speech at University of Buffalo

The protester had no affiliation with the university

One week after being physically assaulted following a speech at San Francisco State University to students about saving women's sports at a Turning Point USA and Leadership Institute event on the campus, former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines gave another speech Thursday night in defense of women’s sports at the University of Buffalo. 

While the speech itself went off without a hitch, University of Buffalo police arrested a 22-year-old suspect outside the venue, citing harassment and disorderly conduct. 

Penn Quakers swimmer Lia Thomas and Kentucky Wildcats' Riley Gaines at the NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships at Georgia Tech in Atlanta on March 18, 2022. (Brett Davis-USA Today Sports)

"The individual has no affiliation to UB and was released with an appearance ticket," University of Buffalo vice president for communications John Dellas Contrada told Fox News Digital. 

The university identified the suspect as a female. 

RILEY GAINES DETAILS HARROWING SITUATION AT SFSU: 'I FEARED FOR MY LIFE IN THAT MOMENT'

Dellas Contrada said, "Gaines spoke for just under an hour in front of approximately 100 individuals inside the Center for Tomorrow on UB’s North Campus" without interruption. 

Around 25-30 people gathered outside the venue to protest, according to Campus Reform. 

The speaking event was sponsored by the Leadership Institute.

Sofie Salmon, deputy director of Leadership Institute Studios, said the protester attempted to block her camera with a poster, shoving it into her lens as Salmon "stumbled back."

In another video obtained by Campus Reform, students can be seen tearing down signs by Turning Point USA advertising the speaking event. 

Former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines was barricaded in a room at San Francisco State University following a speech to students about saving women's sports. (Fox News)

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Gaines, who has been a champion of female athletes’ rights and disagrees with transgender women having the ability to compete against biological women, posted a video last Thursday of her being rushed out of the venue at San Francisco State University. 

"The prisoners are running the asylum at SFSU... I was ambushed and physically hit twice by a man," Gaines wrote in the tweet along with the video. "This is proof that women need sex-protected spaces. Still only further assures me I'm doing something right. When they want you silent, speak louder."

Gaines’ agent, Eli Bremer, called for the university to take a stand. 

In an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital on Friday, Bremer called for the university to expel "any students who were violent," and fire any staff member "who did not attempt to end the assault." 

SEC champion swimmer Riley Gaines speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Dallas, Texas, Aug. 6, 2022. (Reuters/Go Nakamura)

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"Riley Gaines, the leading defender of women's rights in America, was physically assaulted last night at San Francisco State University (SFSU). The violent mob effectively held her hostage for three hours with no apparent action by the university to end the assault," Bremer said. 

"Violence and threats against women are always wrong, and we demand SFSU expel any students who were violent. Furthermore, we demand that any staff who were present who did not attempt to end the assault on Riley also be fired."

Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report

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