Enes Kanter Freedom Files Lawsuit After Chicago Sky Ejection, Ban

Authored by Timothy Frudd via The Epoch Times,

Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom filed a lawsuit on Sept. 3 after he was ejected during a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) game and banned from future games.

Kanter Freedom sued the Chicago Women's Basketball Operations, LLC, which operates the Chicago Sky. The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority and the City of Chicago were also named in the complaint.

The lawsuit alleged that the three entities conspired and acted together to discriminate against Kanter Freedom based on his "verbal and demonstrable expression of viewpoint and gender identity" by wrongfully ejecting him from the Chicago Sky vs. Indiana Fever game on Aug. 23 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago.

Security escorted Kanter Freedom out of Wintrust Arena after an altercation occurred between the former NBA player and Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud.

After Cloud scored late in the third quarter, she appeared to approach Kanter Freedom, who was seated along the baseline. In Thursday's lawsuit, Kanter Freedom alleged that Cloud "without provocation, initiated a vulgar, profanity-laced verbal tirade" directed at him.

Thursday's lawsuit stated that Kanter Freedom believed Cloud was "motivated and triggered" by the message on his shirt and his "widely publicized viewpoint on protecting the integrity of women only sports."

At the time of the incident, Kanter Freedom was wearing a black shirt bearing the words, "WOMAN noun. adult human female."

During the altercation, Kanter Freedom stood up with his arms outstretched and stepped onto the basketball court before basketball officials, multiple Chicago Sky players, and security personnel moved between the two. Kanter Freedom was then escorted from the arena.

Kanter Freedom addressed the lawsuit against the Chicago Sky in a social media post on Thursday.

Kanter Freedom said he was "peacefully exercising" his First Amendment rights at the WNBA game.

"My T-shirt did what the whole @WNBA apparently couldn't: define a woman. No threats. No violence. Just biology. And somehow, that required a security escort," he wrote.

"You don't have to agree with my speech but you don't get to silence me for it," he added. "I will not be intimidated. I will not be silenced. I will continue to stand for women and defend free speech."

Chicago Sky owner Michael Alter announced on Aug. 25 that Kanter Freedom would not be allowed in the arena for future games unless he was able to prove that he could "abide by our rules without being a potential threat."

Alter also accused Kanter Freedom of having attended the game to provoke the players and attract attention.

The lawsuit alleged that Alter mischaracterized both the altercation between Kanter Freedom and Cloud and his intention to "protect women only sports." Kanter Freedom also denied provoking Cloud prior to her approach at the game.

"The Chicago Sky; [Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority], through Wintrust Arena Security; and the City of Chicago, by its Police Department, worked together to eject Plaintiff in retaliation for protected expression, and continue to work together to enforce the ongoing, unconstitutional ban of Plaintiff from Wintrust Arena, which is public property owned by MPEA," the lawsuit stated.

"Plaintiff's damages continue as long as the unconstitutional ban of Plaintiff from Wintrust Arena remains in place."

The lawsuit asked the court to award nominal and compensatory damages, as well as attorney fees for Kanter Freedom. It also asked for a permanent injunction directing the defendants to remove the ban on his attendance at Wintrust Arena.

The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority told The Epoch Times on Sept. 3 that it did not have any comment on the lawsuit filed by Kanter Freedom. The corporation noted that its agreement with the Chicago Sky gave the WNBA team the ability to control whether individuals were permitted to access Wintrust Arena on game days.

"The Chicago Sky informed MPEA that Enes Freedom was removed from the arena and banned from future Chicago Sky events because he violated rules imposed by the WNBA," the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority said. "MPEA employees were not involved in those decisions."

The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority added that the Chicago Sky's ban of Kanter Freedom was only applicable to WNBA games and did not apply to other events at Wintrust Arena.

The Epoch Times reached out to the Chicago Sky and the City of Chicago but did not receive a response before publication time.