Current:Home > Contact-usBrittney Griner allegedly harassed at Dallas airport by "social media figure and provocateur," WNBA says-LoTradeCoin
Brittney Griner allegedly harassed at Dallas airport by "social media figure and provocateur," WNBA says
View Date:2024-12-25 01:32:46
An "inappropriate and unfortunate" incident took place at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport on Saturday involving Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner and her teammates, the WBNA said in a statement.
"As we gather additional information about today's incident at the Dallas Airport, it has come to our attention that this was orchestrated by a social media figure and provocateur. His actions were inappropriate and unfortunate," the WBNA said, without elaborating upon the identity of the social media personality.
Phoenix Mercury confirmed that an "incident took place" at the airport.
The details of the incident were not immediately clear, although far-right activist Alex Stein posted a video on Twitter in response to the WBNA's statement that showed him accosting Griner at an airport.
"She hates America," the video showed Stein saying loudly as the WBNA All-Star walked by.
Griner's agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, retweeted the video, writing, "One of the saddest, most pathetic ironies here is this man, threatening women in an airport for clicks, is in fact, doing his best Putin impression by trying to sow racial and political divide between Americans."
The incident came a little over one year after Griner was arrested at a Moscow airport and detained for 10 months on drug-related charges. She was freed in December during a prisoner swap in the United Arab Emirates.
Phoenix Mercury forward Brianna Turner on Saturday alleged there had been "excessive harassment" during the team's travel.
"Player safety while traveling should be at the forefront. People following with cameras saying wild remarks is never acceptable," Turner wrote on Twitter, adding, "Our team nervously huddled in a corner unsure how to move about."
Colas blamed the incident on Griner and WBNA players' advocacy for a "better, more inclusive and less divided America."
The situation at the airport was a "calculated confrontation" that left Griner and her teammates feeling "very unsafe," the Women's National Basketball Players Association, the union for WBNA players, said in a statement.
The solution to such threats is to allow teams to fly on chartered planes, the WNBPA said, emphasizing that "the matter of charter travel is NOT a 'competitive advantage' issue."
The Bring Our Families Home campaign, an advocacy group that supports American hostages and detainees, tweeted its support for Griner.
"What happened today is unacceptable and especially when targeted towards a former hostage and wrongful detainee," the campaign wrote.
- In:
- Brittney Griner
S. Dev is a news editor for CBSNews.com.
veryGood! (554)
Related
- Gun groups sue to overturn Maine’s new three-day waiting period to buy firearms
- CVS closing dozens of pharmacies inside Target stores
- Taylor Swift Tackles the Cold During Travis Kelce's AFC Wild Card Game
- 4 Ukrainian citizens were among those captured when a helicopter went down in Somalia this week
- Kentucky officer reprimanded for firing non-lethal rounds in 2020 protests under investigation again
- Purina refutes online rumors, says pet food is safe to feed dogs and cats
- US military academies focus on oaths and loyalty to Constitution as political divisions intensify
- A royal first: Australia celebrates Princess Mary’s historic rise to be queen consort in Denmark
- Duke basketball vs Kentucky live updates: Highlights, scores, updates from Champions Classic
- Tennis balls are causing arm injuries, top players say. Now, a review is underway
Ranking
- Gisele Bündchen Makes First Major Appearance Since Pregnancy
- Man wrongfully convicted of sexual assault gets $1.75 million after 35 years in prison
- Bills-Steelers playoff game moved to Monday amid forecast for dangerous winter weather
- NFL playoff picks: Can Tyreek Hill, Dolphins stun Chiefs in wild-card round?
- New York races to revive Manhattan tolls intended to fight traffic before Trump can block them
- Indian Ocean island of Reunion braces for ‘very dangerous’ storm packing hurricane-strength winds
- Scientists to deliver a warning about nuclear war with Doomsday Clock 2024 announcement
- Fendi’s gender-busting men’s collection is inspired by Princess Anne, ‘chicest woman in the world’
Recommendation
-
NFL Week 10 injury report: Live updates on active, inactive players for Sunday's games
-
Caitlin Clark points tracker: When will Iowa basketball star break NCAA scoring record?
-
Why did someone want Texas couple Ted and Corey Shaughnessy dead?
-
Millions of Americans face below-zero temperatures as weekend storms bring more Arctic air and snow
-
Dave Coulier Says He's OK If This Is the End Amid Stage 3 Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Battle
-
Mia Goth Sued for Allegedly Kicking Background Actor in the Head
-
Jason Sudeikis Sparks Romance Rumors With Actress Elsie Hewitt
-
Michigan man kept playing the same lottery numbers. Then he finally matched all 5 and won.