Former NCAA swimmer-turned-political activist Riley Gaines has already publicly supported Sophie Cunningham. She even posed with Cunningham for a picture ahead of the Fever’s game against the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday. And now, Gaines has slammed the league for her experience during Sunday’s Indiana vs. Minnesota game, as fans supporting Cunningham have announced another rally on August 6.

Speaking to Fox Sports on August 3, Gaines claimed that the stadium security at Target Center in Minneapolis made her put away her sign supporting Cunningham, despite her following the WNBA’s rules.

“It shows you very clearly that the league has an agenda that they’re trying to purport that is not representative of reality at all. The league often says they have a problem with people like Sophie bringing politics into sports. The league doesn’t have a problem with politics in sports. They have a problem with conservative politics in sports,” she said during an appearance on Fox News.

The saying Gaines referred to was the same one Sophie Cunningham herself held up while posing for the image with Gaines and XX-YY Athletics founder Jennifer Sey. “Sophie, thank you — a girl mom” read the sign, and Gaines confirmed that she even made sure it was the right size.

Later, during the game, an arena employee walked up to her and told her to put away the sign. When Gaines asked why, she was reportedly told that it was because the sign contained Cunningham’s name.

“My whole section at that point, they were outraged,” she told OutKick after the game. “They were like, ‘You can’t tell her she can’t have that. There’s a hundred signs right here with people’s names on it. What do you mean she can’t have it?’”

“As a general rule, posters/signage under 11 x 17 inches are allowed in Target Center, pending individual tour/promoter approval,” the arena’s policy says.

“All posters/signage must be handheld, may not be mounted on sticks or poles, may not be lit or constructed using lighting elements, may not contain offensive language or graphics and may not prevent other guests from seeing the stage/event.”

Following the game, Gaines said the staffer returned to her to apologize, and she interpreted it as meaning the intervention was directed by a third party.

The reason Gaines thought it was selective enforcement was that Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve wore a shirt with the text “Trans Kids Belong” on the sidelines without consequence. This also comes on the same day Cunningham’s fans announced their plans for another rally to support the Indiana Fever star.

Sophie Cunningham fans have planned a fourth rally

There have been three rallies so far since the second half of the season got underway after the All-Star Game on July 25. Now, Fox News’ Jackson Thompson has said that fans have already planned a fourth rally, although it’s not going to happen on August 6 when the Fever host the Las Vegas Aces.

“A fourth Sophie Cunningham rally has been planned for Aug. 22 in New York for the Fever’s game against the Liberty,” Thompson posted on X on August 3. ROAR Women, NYC, will organize the rally outside Barclays Arena when the Fever arrive to face the New York Liberty.

Three rallies have already been held for the Fever’s last three games against the Seattle Storm, Portland Fire, and the Lynx, all of which were road games for them. The rallies in support of Cunningham have also sparked counter-rallies.

The division between the fans who have attended the rallies and the last three games has already generated controversy. In fact, similar to the Riley Gaines incident in Minneapolis, two teenagers were accosted by Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton for carrying signs supporting Sophie Cunningham.

Following the incident, the WNBA barred Keaton from attending five home games and fined her. However, from Gaines’ statement, it’s clear that the fallout of Cunningham’s comments has generated a lot of friction.

However, with another rally planned for August 22, it’s difficult to say when the debate around this issue will die down.