Seattle group plans show of force against Mayor Bruce Harrell's protest statements

SEATTLE - A group of evangelicals and conservatives are planning to rally at Seattle City Hall on Tuesday in response to comments made by Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell in the aftermath of a weekend event at Cal Anderson Park.

The "Rattle in Seattle" demonstration will take place at 5 p.m. on the 4th Avenue steps of City Hall, and is organized by Russell Johnson of The Pursuit NW, Jenny Donnelly of Her Voice MVMT and Ross Johnston, co-leader of the Mayday USA event.

Keep reading for statements from Rattle in Seattle's supporters, along with the full statement by Mayor Harrell that the group has taken issue with over the weekend.

The backstory:

On Saturday, Mayday USA — an organization described on its website as a faith-based activist group that calls on Christians to speak out against abortion, child trafficking and the perceived moral decline of society — held an event at Cal Anderson Park, which was met with counter-protesters. Seattle police made 23 arrests as event organizers, attendees and counter-protesters all convened in the historically significant public park.

After the arrests were made, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell released a statement remarking on the proud history of the people of Seattle standing up for their values. He then urged residents to avoid violence during protests and called for the Parks Department to review the circumstances of the rally organizer’s application, saying he aims to "understand whether there were legal location alternatives or other adjustments that could have been pursued."

The group planning Tuesday's rally were offended by this inquiry from the mayor. They claim that his statements were an example of religious bigotry and the undermining of First Amendment rights. 

What they're saying:

In addition to concerns about free speech, the group continued, saying Mayor Harrell wrongly blamed Christians for the violence.

"Following the MayDay USA worship event at Cal Anderson Park on Saturday, Mayor Harrell had the audacity to issue a press release blaming Christians for the premediated violence of Antifa which resulted in the hospitalization of Seattle Police Department personnel and the arrest of 23 Antifa agitators."

"Under Mayor Harrell’s leadership, the city of Seattle has continued its spiral into lawlessness and dysfunction while the first amendment rights of citizens to peacefully assemble has been disregarded," Rattle in Seattle organizers said, in part. 

The Mayday USA event in question was approved and permitted by the city. It was allowed to operate as intended and scheduled until Seattle police ended the event early due to violence.

The other side:

In the Mayor’s press release, he said that "Anarchists infiltrated the counterprotesters group and inspired violence, prompting SPD to make arrests and ask organizers to shut down the event early."

Regarding the review of the Mayday USA event, the mayor said the ‘far-right rally’ was intentionally held at Cal Anderson Park, Seattle's most prominent LGBTQ+ neighborhood, to provoke a reaction.

Read Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell’s full statement

"Seattle is proud of our reputation as a welcoming, inclusive city for LGBTQ+ communities, and we stand with our trans neighbors when they face bigotry and injustice. Today’s far-right rally was held here for this very reason – to provoke a reaction by promoting beliefs that are inherently opposed to our city’s values, in the heart of Seattle’s most prominent LGBTQ+ neighborhood."

"When the humanity of trans people and those who have been historically marginalized is questioned, we triumph by demonstrating our values through our words and peaceful protest – we lose our voice when this is disrupted by violence, chaos, and confusion."

"Anarchists infiltrated the counter-protestors group and inspired violence, prompting SPD to make arrests and ask organizers to shut down the event early, which they did."

"While there are broad First Amendment requirements around permitting events under free speech protections, I am directing the Parks Department to review all of the circumstances of this application to understand whether there were legal location alternatives or other adjustments that could have been pursued. The Police Department will complete an after-action report of this event, including understanding preparation, crowd management tactics, and review of arrests and citations."

"I am grateful for those who make their voices heard in support of our neighbors without resorting to violence. In the face of an extreme right-wing national effort to attack our trans and LGBTQ+ communities, Seattle will continue to stand unwavering in our embrace of diversity, love for our neighbors, and commitment to justice and fairness."

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