Faith Group, LGBTQ+ Community Clash at Seattle Prayer Rally

Members of the LGBTQ+ community, a group of religious protesters, and Seattle police clashed at a controversial prayer rally held in Seattle’s Cal Anderson Park over Memorial Day weekend.

Roughly 500 religious activists showed up in the historically queer neighborhood of Capitol Hill as part of the "Mayday USA" tour, which is touring five major US cities championing pro-life values and opposition to the LGBTQ+ community.

Greeting them were at least as many counter protesters, waving transgender pride flags and brandishing signs reading “Keep Your Bibles Off Our Bodies.”

Journalists on site documented events:

Perhaps unsurprisingly, by the end of the day nearly two dozen individuals were arrested at the Seattle event, which turned chaotic as violence threatened to erupt multiple times between Mayday supporters and protesters. 

What is Mayday USA?

The five-city Mayday USA tour was largely focused on what they believe is the indoctrination of children into "LGBTQ+ ideology."

The group promoted the event with “#DontMessWithOurKids” branding. At the Seattle event, one might mistake it for a Christian music festival – at least before things turned south. It featured musical performances, prayers, and sermons from group organizers, including one pastor who spoke in tongues.

The Seattle event was organized in part by Matt Shea, former Washington lawmaker turned preacher at On Fire Ministries in Spokane, Washington. You may remember Shea from his manifesto for waging a holy war against Muslims and atheists, and Shea was also in contact with a religious militia teaching young men weapons handling for this very purpose.

Shea’s manifesto endorsed overthrowing the federal government and replacing it with Christian theocracy with bans on abortions and same-sex marriage, as well as "the killing of all males who do not agree."

Escalating Tensions

The event was a powder keg from the beginning.

There were roughly 500 Mayday USA supporters on one side, and an equivalent number of pro-LGBTQ+ protesters on the other, separated only by small police barriers and Seattle PD. With one side spouting anti-trans rhetoric, and the other with dozens clad in the transgender flag, it seemed nearly inevitable that tensions would boil over.

According to Seattle police, at around 1:30, members on the pro-LGBTQ+ of the barrier began throwing items like water bottles at the other group, prompting a swift police response.

"Officers immediately moved to arrest the people responsible, and while taking the individuals into custody, were assaulted by more protesters, resulting in even more arrests," said the Seattle PD in a statement. "In total, officers arrested 11 during the initial scuffle." 12 more were arrested as the day continued.

Meanwhile, activists also filmed the clash:

The event ultimately was shut down a few hours early, by request of Seattle police.

Were Religious Rights Trampled?

The nonprofit group Alliance Defending Freedom is now considering legal action against the city of Seattle and Mayor Bruce Harrell. They say that the city failed to safeguard the civil rights of the Mayday USA crowd, and allege that in failing to protect them, the city stifled both their freedom of speech and freedom of religion. 

Much criticism was lobbed at Harrell, who said the worship group were hoping 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.” Harrell blamed the tensions on “anarchists” who he says “infiltrated the counter-protestors.”

Russell Johnson, head pastor at the Evangelical church Pursuit NW, accused Harrell of “religious bigotry,” demanding an apology on behalf of the worship group who “were violently assaulted for the high crime of expressing their deeply held religious beliefs in the form of a permitted worship event on city property."

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino even weighed in, confirming that the FBI was investigating potential “targeted violence” towards the Christians.

Mayday USA organizers reject Harrell’s idea they were seeking to promote a reaction. “They say we don’t like people,” said Mayday USA spokesperson Folake Kellogg. “We’re not the ones throwing things. We’re here to love Jesus.”

Plot Thickens

However, the group's decision to broadcast anti-trans rhetoric in a historically gay neighborhood in one of the most progressive cities in the country indicates otherwise, critics say. The group was clearly trying to provoke a reaction, LGBTQ+ rights activists argue. 

During a subsequent rally at City Hall, those same critics took issue when religious organizers appeared to be screening people from access to public property based on religious affiliation:

What is your reaction?