Sophie Cunningham Protests Hit Fever Pitch in Brooklyn — Then Kanter Freedom Got Ejected in Chicago

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK - AUGUST 22: Women sports supporters hold signs outside the main entrance before the game between the New York Liberty and the Indiana Fever at Barclays Center on August 22, 2026 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Sophie Cunningham, a guard for the Indiana Fever, stated in July that she opposes transgender women and girls competing in female sports. (Credit: Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

The dispute surrounding Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham's remarks on transgender athletes hit its loudest and most physical point yet this past weekend, when opposing crowds packed the plaza outside a WNBA arena in Brooklyn, a national sports broadcast got swallowed by chanting demonstrators, and a tight fourth quarter briefly pulled attention away from the noise outside. Two days later, in Chicago, the story took an even sharper turn.

Two rallies, one barricade line, outside Barclays Center