Former NCAA star Riley Gaines finds herself at the center of a controversy after event management company Eventbrite pulled tickets to her speaking tour, claiming it did not align with their community guidelines. Republican Senator Eric Schmitt from Missouri has confronted Eventbrite, accusing the platform of having a “liberal-progressive agenda to silence and unpublish events that express conservative viewpoints.” Schmitt raised concerns about the platform’s decision to remove Gaines’ event while allowing anti-Israel protests to continue.
In a letter to Eventbrite CEO Julia Hartz, Schmitt questioned the platform’s reasoning and accused them of being hypocritical. He pointed out that while Gaines’ event was removed, ticket sales for anti-Israel protests remained active. Schmitt demanded a complete list of events that Eventbrite has unpublished and the reasoning behind those decisions. He also requested a list of organizations that have hosted events on the platform, questioning whether the public has the ability to flag events and if Eventbrite takes those complaints into consideration.
Schmitt emphasized the importance of protecting free speech and the exchange of ideas. He criticized Eventbrite for selectively applying their community guidelines and terms of service to promote a liberal-progressive agenda and silence conservative viewpoints. This echoes similar criticism by GOP Texas lawmaker Ted Cruz, who called for Americans to stop supporting woke corporations like Eventbrite.
Gaines’ speaking tour, advocating for women’s rights in sports, has faced controversy since it began. At her event at Penn State, protests erupted, resulting in two arrests. The University of California, Davis was scheduled to be the first stop of her November college tour, but information about the event was pulled from Eventbrite. Gaines expressed disappointment in Eventbrite’s decision, stating that it sends a clear message against women’s rights.
Eventbrite Trust & Safety cited the violation of their community guidelines and terms of service as the reason for removing the event. They stated that the event discriminated against individuals or groups based on various factors. Eventbrite did not respond to requests for comments on the matter.
The controversy surrounding the removal of Riley Gaines’ event highlights concerns about the suppression of conservative viewpoints and the selective application of community guidelines by platforms like Eventbrite. Critics argue that such actions hinder free speech and limit open dialogue, particularly on college campuses.
It remains to be seen how Eventbrite will respond to the backlash and whether they will provide the requested information to Senator Schmitt. Gaines, determined to continue her speaking tour, asserts that her speech will not be stifled, and her event at UC Davis is still scheduled to take place next month.
In a time when the clash between conservative and liberal ideologies continues to dominate the political landscape, incidents like these further fuel the debate over free speech, censorship, and the role of platforms in shaping public discourse.
