3 days ago
California track and field championship sees arrest and aerial banner amid transgender controversy
The California track and field state championship prelim round in Clovis on Friday was a scene of conflicting beliefs and even police intervention amid an ongoing controversy involving a trans athlete competing in the girls' category.
At least one person was arrested, the Clovis Police Department confirmed to Fox News Digital.
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The person arrested was a protester who is accused of shattering a car window with a flag pole.
The department confirmed the person arrested was an LGBTQ activist.
'This afternoon at 3:55PM, a disturbance between two adults occurred at the intersection of Nees/Minnewawa. One adult on the sidewalk and one in a vehicle at the intersection became involved in a disturbance that turned physical. During the disturbance, one of them used pepper spray against the other. EMS was called and one of the adults was arrested,' a statement read.
The person has been arrested for assault with a weapon and obstructing a police, according to Sergeant Chris Hutchison.
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'We don't have room for violence or property damage or anything like that,' Hutchison.
7 Transgender high schooler AB Hernandez leaves the track after competing in the girls triple jump at the California high school track and field championships in Clovis, Ca. on May 30, 2025.
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7 Spectators hold up signs protesting transgender athletes competing against biological females in high school sports.
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Meanwhile, a plane flying a banner that read 'no boys in girls' sports' passed over the California track and field championship Friday in Clovis.
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Footage provided to Fox News Digital by California activist Beth Bourne showed the plan flying overhead at Buchanan High School's Veterans Memorial Stadium.
The stunt was organized by two women's advocacy group, Women are Real and the Independent Council for Women's Sports.
'California is beginning to reap the consequences of defying federal law and brazenly harming girls,' said Kim Jones, co-founder of ICONS in a press release announcing the aerial banner.
7 AB Hernandez lands in the sand pit after completing a jump during the triple jump.
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7 A sky banner is flown above the track and field stadium in Clovis, Calif. during the meet.
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7 AB Hernandez joins female competitors before the girl's high jump event.
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'How long will Governor Newsom and legislators in this state continue to prioritize granting a few boys the right to take opportunities and recognition away from girls? Not one single boy should ever be in girls' sports. It's the easiest problem in the world to solve—and the most brazen public 'screw you' to female athletes by Democrat leadership. Since when do we tell a single boy he is more important than every girl in the competition? That he has the right to ruin sports for all of them? It's time for California to pay and it's time to right these wrongs.'
Witnesses at the event told Fox News Digital that pro-transgender protesters attended the event in support of transgender athlete AB Hernandez.
The meet and the California Interscholastic Federation's (CIF) entire track and field postseason has been under a national microscope in recent weeks.
7 A sign is posted on a street pole outside the stadium supporting Title IX regulation.
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7 AB Hernandez leaves the stadium as a large crowd sits in the stands.
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Trans athlete AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley High School has dominated the girls' track and field postseason in 2025, prompting national backlash and even the attention of President Donald Trump.
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Trump sent a Truth Social post on Tuesday morning, warning the state and Gov. Gavin Newsom of potential funding cuts and orders to local authorities to prevent a trans athlete from competing in the girls' category.
Then the Department of Justice announced it would launch an investigation into the CIF and California Attorney General Rob Bonta over the state's law that allows biologically male trans athletes to compete with girls and women on Wednesday.
The CIF announced a pair of rule changes on Tuesday and Wednesday in response to the backlash, expanding the size of the competitor pool and even handing out medals to any 'biological female' athlete displaced by a transgender athlete at the meet.
