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Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Masked flag-wielding trans protestor arrested for attacking activist at California state track championships
A masked pro-trans protestor was arrested at the California state high school track-and-field championships this weekend after allegedly using a Progress Pride flag to attack an activist journalist who had been demonstrating at the controversial meet. Ethan Kroll is identified as the 19-year-old man booked Friday for assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm, obstructing public officer and vandalism under $400, according to the Fresno County Sheriff's Office website. Kroll was released on Saturday evening. The arrest was first reported by local media after viral video of the incident was recorded by Josh Fulfer, a crowd-funded reporter protesting in support of 'the female athletes that were having to compete against a male,' as he told Fresno's Fox affiliate. This weekend's meet outside Fresno was the latest front line in the ongoing debate over trans athletes in female sports. In defiance of Donald Trump and his executive order, trans athlete AB Hernandez claimed gold in the girls high jump and triple jump at the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) state finals. 'We were out there for a couple of hours, had no incident whatsoever,' Fulfer told Fox 26 of his protests on Friday. After seeing the masked protester, Fulfer admittedly said something amounting to: 'If you're so proud of your cause, why do you have a mask on?' I was targeted and violently assaulted today by transtifa when me and my family were leaving the CIF State Championship @ Veterans Memorial Stadium This person called me out by name before striking me multiple times with their flag pole. Fortunately I was able to pepper spray… — Oreo Express (@OreoExpress) May 30, 2025 Ethan Kroll is identified as the 19-year-old man booked Friday for assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm, obstructing public officer and vandalism under $400 'Next thing I know, that person is darting out across the intersection and I hit 'record' when they're about 10 feet away. And they started assaulting me with the flagpole through my driver's-side window.' Fulfer said he reached for his pepper spray at the urging of his wife and sprayed the protestor in the face. 'That got the flagpole out of the vehicle, and then they started vandalizing the car, hitting the top of the roof of the car and the door of the car.' After running a red light and finding a safe place to park, Fulfer said he got out to witness Clovis (California) police jumping the fence to make the arrest. Fufler said he suffered some bruises and scrapes as a result of the attack. Police have said an investigation is ongoing. Daily Mail's attempts to reach Kroll have been unsuccessful. An attorney for Kroll was not listed on the Fresno County Sheriff's Office website. As for the meet, Hernandez competed under a new rule, allowing for the possibility of multiple winners in events in which she competed. Hernandez finished the high jump with a mark of 5-foot-7 (1.7 meters), with no failed attempts. Co-winners Jillene Wetteland and Lelani Laruelle also cleared that height after each logged a failed attempt. The three shared the first-place win, smiling as they stepped together onto the podium. Hernandez wrapped up the night with a first-place finish in the triple jump, sharing the top spot with Kira Gant Hatcher who trailed by just over a half-meter. Earlier in the afternoon, Hernandez placed second in the long jump. The CIF announced the new policy earlier this week in response to Hernandez's success heading into the championships. Under the policy, the federation allowed an additional student to compete and medal in the events where Hernandez qualified. The two-day championship kicked off Friday in sweltering heat at a high school near Fresno. Temperatures reached the triple digits during Saturday's finals. The atmosphere was relatively quiet despite critics - including parents, conservative activists and President Donald Trump - calling for Hernandez to be barred from competing. Some critics wore pink bracelets and T-shirts that read, 'Save Girls' Sports.' During Friday's qualifying events, an aircraft circled above the stadium for more than an hour with a banner: 'No Boys in Girls' Sports!' Two groups that oppose transgender athletes participating in women's sports - the Independent Council on Women's Sports and Women Are Real - took credit for flying the banner. The federation's rule change reflected efforts to find a middle ground in the debate over trans girls' participation in youth sports. 'The CIF values all of our student-athletes and we will continue to uphold our mission of providing students with the opportunity to belong, connect, and compete while complying with California law,' the group said in a statement after announcing its rule change. A recent AP-NORC poll found that about 7 in 10 U.S. adults think transgender female athletes should not be allowed to participate in girls and women's sports at the high school, college or professional level. That view was shared by about 9 in 10 Republicans and roughly half of Democrats. The federation announced the change after Trump threatened to pull federal funding from California unless it bars trans female athletes from competing on girls teams. The federation said it decided on the change before then. The U.S. Department of Justice also said it would investigate the federation and the district that includes Hernandez's high school to determine whether they violated federal sex discrimination law. California law allows trans students to compete on sex-segregated sports teams consistent with their gender identity.
Fox News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Footage shows LGBTQ protester attacking conservative at California track championship amid trans athlete drama
California's track and field state championship in Clovis, California, turned into a crime scene Friday as tensions rose between opposing protesters. One LGBTQ protester was arrested after allegedly attacking a conservative protester outside Veteran Memorial Stadium at Buchanan High School, the Clovis Police Department confirmed to Fox News Digital. The man allegedly attacked is California right-wing activist and content creator Josh Fulfer, who goes by the nickname "Oreo Express" on social media. Footage obtained by Fox News Digital shows the LGBTQ protester, who police have identified as 19-year-old Ethan Kroll, striking Fulfer with a flag pole that had a large transgender pride flag attached. Additional footage showed the LGBTQ protester being arrested by Clovis police after the incident. Police records obtained by Fox News Digital show that Kroll, a male, was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm, obstructing a public officer and vandalism. Fulfer told Fox News Digital the incident happened after he left the meet, was driving with his wife and came up to a red light. He says Kroll was there wearing black face coverings. "They were yelling something, and they recognized me right away. And they said something. I don't even know, I can't understand what they were saying, but I said something in the nature of, 'If you're so proud and you're not ashamed of your cause, why don't you show your face? Why are you so embarrassed to show your face?'" Fulfer said. "And then they yelled something. And when they yelled something, they started going right across the street onto the center divide. And then they said, 'You're Josh Fulfer,' and started hitting me with the pole. They put the pole in the car and started jabbing me with the pole." Fulfer said he sustained bruising and scrapes on his arm from the strikes. Fulfer then pepper-sprayed Kroll's eyes, he and police said. Fulfer alleges that after pepper-spraying Kroll, the LGTBQ protester pulled the pole out of the car and started smashing the roof and door of his car. Fulfer says he then drove away and alleges Kroll smashed the back of his car as he drove off. Photos provided by Fulfer show slight denting to the vehicle. Fulfer says nearby police officers watched and rushed in to intervene. Clovis Police Sgt. Chris Hutchison told Fox News Digital no other criminal incidents occurred at or near the track meet Friday night. "Our stance is always to allow people to exercise their constitutional right to free speech and protest," Hutchison said. "They have a right to do it in a manner that isn't inciting violence or causing other problems. … We don't have room for violence or property damage or anything like that." Hutchison and Fulfer told Fox News Digital police set up designated "free speech zones" for activists in attendance this weekend. The competition has seen a sizable presence of protesters due to the participation of transgender athlete AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley High School competing in the girls long jump, high jump and triple jump. The athlete finished in first place in all three events during the preliminary round Friday night. Saturday, Hernandez will compete in the final round and look to take all three state titles. Witnesses told Fox News Digital there were more than 50 protesters at the competition Friday, with many planning to return to Saturday for the finals. Women's athlete activists held a protest early Saturday morning, organized by California Family Council Outreach Director Sophia Lorey. During Friday's event, a plane flew over the stadium with a banner that said, "No Boys in GIrls' Sports!" Hernandez dominated the girls' postseason this spring, attracting national attention in recent weeks as President Donald Trump called out the state for allowing it to happen and threatening federal funding cuts if it continues. Then the Department of Justice announced Wednesday it would launch an investigation into the California Interscholastic Federation and California Attorney General Rob Bonta over the state's law that allows biologically male trans athletes to compete with girls and women. The CIF announced a pair of rule changes 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. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
