The city mayor is under fire.
A pastor in Seattle is demanding an apology from the city’s mayor following a violent confrontation at a Christian prayer rally held in a neighborhood known for its strong LGBT presence. The event, organized by the pro-life group Mayday USA as part of their national “DontMessWithOurKids” tour, took place on May 24 at Cal Anderson Park and attracted hundreds of attendees carrying signs supporting traditional family values, biological gender, and religious freedom.
Shortly after the rally began, counter-protesters supporting LGBT rights arrived, waving transgender flags and clashing with police officers who were attempting to keep the two groups apart. The Seattle Police Department reported that some individuals from both sides threw objects at each other, prompting officers to intervene. The situation escalated into several hours of unrest, leading to 22 adults being arrested for assault and obstruction, and one juvenile detained. Police also treated and released one officer for an injury sustained during the disturbances.
Video shared on social media showed some counter-protesters breaching a police barrier to disrupt the Christian event, which further heightened tensions. The counter-protest, called “Keep Your Bibles Off Our Bodies,” was organized by groups including the Freedom Socialist Party and Radical Women. In response to the events, Mayor Bruce Harrell characterized the Christian rally as a “far-right” event designed to provoke and promote values contrary to those of Seattle’s LGBT community, which is prominent in the neighborhood.
Harrell praised those who protested peacefully while condemning the violence and blaming anarchists for infiltrating the counter-protest. He also ordered a review to explore whether alternative event locations could have prevented the conflict. In response, the Pursuit NW church criticized the mayor for what they called “religious bigotry” and called on him to apologize or resign. Pastor Russell Johnson accused Harrell of poor leadership and of unfairly targeting Christians, while sharing footage showing counter-protesters aggressively interrupting the worship gathering.
This incident is part of ongoing tensions in Seattle, where city officials have recently taken political stances against Christian events, notably blocking prayer rallies by activists like Sean Feucht during the pandemic while allowing other protests to proceed. Despite attempts to prevent such gatherings, thousands of Christians have continued to hold public worship events in the city.