FOIA Demand Targets Chicago Arena Over Freedom Ejection

Liberty Check

• America First Policy Institute launches FOIA probe into Wintrust Arena ejection of Enes Kanter Freedom
• Public records request targets government-appointed board and federal funding of the arena
• Incident stems from Freedom wearing a shirt declaring biological reality at WNBA game

Enes Kanter Freedom is fighting back after being removed from a publicly funded Chicago arena for wearing a shirt that stated a simple biological truth.

The America First Policy Institute filed a detailed six-page records request under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act on Freedom’s behalf, targeting the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority that owns Wintrust Arena.

“Enes Freedom exercised his constitutional right as an American when he attended the WNBA game in Chicago,” AFPI chief legal affairs officer Leigh Ann O’Neill said in a statement.

“Today, we launched an investigation, seeking critical documents that will assist in our efforts to ensure that public entities are held accountable when American’s constitutional rights are trampled.”

Freedom attended Sunday’s Sky-Fever game wearing a shirt that read, “WOMAN noun. adult human female.”

Sky guard Natasha Cloud approached his courtside seat during a third-quarter timeout, sparking a verbal exchange that ended with security escorting Freedom from the arena after he stepped toward the court.

AFPI’s request seeks agreements between the government authority, arena operator Oak View Group, the Chicago Sky and the WNBA, along with security policies, law-enforcement agreements, and records identifying who authorized Freedom’s removal and ban.

The authority’s board members are appointed by Illinois’ governor and Chicago’s mayor, giving elected officials direct oversight of the venue that receives federal funding.

AFPI asked MPEA to preserve potentially responsive emails, text messages and internal communications while producing records on a rolling basis. No lawsuit has been filed yet.

Our freedoms depend on staying vigilant.