Save Girls' Sports Rally Disrupts California Girls' Track Preliminaries for Second Year

A political rally disrupted the opening round of the California girls' track and field state tournament for the second year in a row on Saturday.

The "Save Girls' Sports" protest, organized by former NCAA women's soccer player Sophia Lorey, occurred outside the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section Division 3 preliminaries in Yorba Linda. It coincided with the participation of a trans athlete from Jurupa Valley High School.

"Our daughters are paying the price," said California superintendent candidate Sonja Shaw in a speech. "This is insane! Our girls are suffering! They're unsafe. Every time they enter into any competition or any restroom, they are unsafe!"

The protest announcement earlier this week prompted sharp exchanges between Gov. Gavin Newsom's office and the White House.

A source in the governor's office gave this statement to Fox News Digital: "The Governor has said discussions on this issue should be guided by fairness, dignity, and respect. He rejects the right wing’s cynical attempt to weaponize this debate as an excuse to vilify individual kids. The Governor’s position is simple: stand with all kids and stand up to bullies."

The statement added, "California is one of 22 states that have laws requiring students be permitted to participate in sex-segregated school sports consistent with their gender identity. California passed this law in 2013 (AB 1266) and it was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown."

A White House spokesperson condemned Newsom for California's resistance to President Donald Trump's mandate barring biological male trans athletes from girls' sports.

"Gavin Newscum is a truly sick individual who has no regard for fairness, dignity, and respect. If he did, he wouldn’t allow men to compete in women’s sports, limiting women’s opportunities and jeopardizing their health and safety. President Trump fights for commonsense policies that uplift every athlete and restore fairness on the field," White House spokeswoman Allison Schuster told Fox News Digital.

Lorey staged a similar protest at last year's opening round. The state finals that followed turned chaotic with competing protests, the arrest of a pro-trans activist accused of attacking a conservative activist, a plane flyover displaying a "Save Girls' Sports" banner, and Lorey's ejection from the venue.

Jurupa Valley's trans athlete took first place in the triple jump and high jump, and second in the long jump. Trump's Department of Justice filed a Title IX lawsuit against California state agencies last July.