Organizers of the Christian rally that led to a police crackdown on counter-protesters in Cal Anderson Park are suing the city.

The federal civil rights case filed last week in the U.S. District Court for Western Washington alleges the city and Mayor Bruce Harrell violated the group’s rights and created a dangerous, hostile situation when officials denied a permit for a downtown event and pushed the rally up to the Capitol Hill park instead.

The Saturday, May 24th Christian anti-LGBTQ, anti-trans, and anti-reproductive rights rally and concert ended with police moving on demonstrators protesting the event. There were multiple arrests but no significant charges filed against demonstrators. The chaotic day included SPD officers in riot gear forming protective lines to separate protesters from the provocative “#DontMessWithOurKids” rally. The clash with protesters came hours into the gathering as a phalanx of bicycle police moved into position near the front of a large crowd of counter-protesters near the rally stage and suddenly advanced using bikes and batons.

The May event was promoted by On Fire Ministries, a Spokane-based religious group that has grown under Christian fundamentalist pastor and former state representative Matt Shea and is supported by anti-LGBTQ religious activist Sean Feucht but a group of West Coast Christian nationalist pastors are behind the lawsuit.

The plaintiffs are Russell Johnson of the PursuitNW religious group, Bob and Jenny Donnelly of Portland-based The Collective Church and Tetelestai Ministries, and California evangelist Ross Johnston.

In the suit, the plaintiffs say Harrell and the city used subjective standards in denying their original permit application for a rally near Pike Place Market, forcing the group to hold its rally in Cal Anderson in the middle of a core of the city’s LGBTQ communities. The lawsuit also alleges the city unfairly shut the rally down when police clashes with counter-protesters erupted.

“After its requested permit for Pike Street was denied, the City suggested that Plaintiffs host their event at a City park, and the City provided a list of options, including Cal Anderson Park,” the lawsuit reads. “Plaintiffs did not desire to use Cal Anderson Park but did so at the urging of City officials and the City’s grant of a permit for that location. Despite being forced to host their event at Cal Anderson Park, it was precisely because Plaintiffs used that location that Mayor Harrell unconscionably blamed Plaintiffs for the violent assaults and attacks perpetrated against them by violent agitators.”

The lawsuit claims “violent agitators threw urine filled balloons at Plaintiffs, engaged in
obscene behavior and masturbation in front of the innocent minor children in attendance at Plaintiffs event, threatened Plaintiffs and their volunteers and attendees with death and serious bodily harm for engaging in their protected activity, hurled verbal threats at Plaintiffs, destroyed or damaged Plaintiffs’ event equipment, and otherwise engaged in physical threats and actual violence.”

“Several protestors identifying as antifa who wore Kevlar vests and gas masks and carried gas cannisters (sic) on their utility belts harassed Plaintiffs and event attendees and volunteers, closely marching around the children’s haircutting station,” another allegation reads.

The lawsuit seeking to be determined damages does not address the political shuffling later in summer that resulted in Christian groups moving another planned rally to Gas Works Park. Mayor Harrell and District 3 representative Joy Hollingsworth said in that case, rally organizers agreed to move their event. “We are grateful that they were receptive to our recommendation,” a statement at the time read.

It is unclear if that move will also bring eventual litigation.

For the city, the legal battle embodies the First Amendment concerns raised during debate over how to handle the Christian events and anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ rallies from the group. Where are the lines to be drawn for protecting free speech? And how much will it cost to step near — or across — any of those lines? With the case filed last week, Seattle is set to find out.

The mayor’s office has declined to comment on the case. Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison’s response will be filed in the U.S. District Court.

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