Lyft Driver Ejects Women After NWSL Game Protest; One Rider's Account Deactivated
A group of women protesting for "Save Women's Sports" were removed from a Lyft and one later found her account deactivated, sparking controversy over political expression and rideshare policies.
Four women who were involved in a protest at a National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) game in Portland found themselves ejected from a Lyft vehicle after the driver recognized them from news coverage of the event. One of the women, Julie Lane, later discovered her Lyft account had been deactivated.
The incident occurred after the group, wearing "XX-XY Athletics" shirts and holding "Save Women's Sports" signs, faced backlash from other spectators during a Portland Thorns game on Friday. Providence Park security had removed the protesters from the stadium.
According to Lane, the Lyft driver picked up the four women, asked if they were the individuals from the news, and upon receiving an affirmative answer, pulled over and demanded they leave his car. "It's my own private car, and I can cancel any ride I want to, and you don't belong in my car," the driver reportedly told them.
Lane stated that she and the others felt unsafe being asked to exit the vehicle in what she described as "a dark corner of Portland." She initially refused to leave, asserting she had paid for a ride and had done nothing wrong. The driver then threatened to call the police to have them arrested for trespassing. The driver later posted about the incident on Reddit, referring to the women as "anti-trans agitators."
Before the police arrived, another ride was arranged for the group. While Lane was speaking with Lyft support, she was informed that the driver would face disciplinary action. However, the following morning, she found her own Lyft account had been deactivated.
A Lyft spokesperson told OutKick that the company is reviewing the incident. "Everyone deserves to feel safe and respected on the Lyft platform, and discrimination of any kind has no place in our community. Our Safety team was in contact with both the rider and the driver involved and we are continuing to review the incident."
The driver's actions may also be in violation of Portland city regulations, which prohibit rideshare drivers from refusing to transport passengers of "proper demeanor" within the city after accepting a ride.
Lane and her companions, who identified themselves as two lesbians and two bisexual women, stated that the driver's stated reason for ejecting them was related to their "T-shirts and their, quote, 'anti-LGB activism.'" The group reported facing further negative reactions, including boos and middle fingers, from other fans as they left the stadium area.