(Image: Alex Garland/CHS)
With reporting by Hannah Saunders
Seattle Police moved on counter-protesters at a fundamentalist Christian group’s rally Saturday afternoon in Cal Anderson Park. Multiple arrests and injuries were reported.
Groups were in the park to protest against a provocative rally organized by a Spokane fundamentalist church. CHS reported here on the planned “#DontMessWithOurKids” rally.
The clash with police 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 on the crowd using their bikes and batons.
SPD said officers were being targeted by objects they say were being thrown by the protesters as the department reported the arrests in the park via social media. Protesters had also reportedly popped a balloon at the church group’s rally in the moments before the melee.
Counter-protesters told CHS they were at the park Saturday to defend LGBTQ and reproductive rights.
UPDATE 3:58 PM: Clashes have continued in the park with police deploying pepper spray on protesters. SPD reports additional arrests amid thrown objects and reports of toppled fencing around the event.
UPDATE 6:04 PM: Seattle Police have requested “mutual aid” and have been joined by the Washington State Patrol in the park as the rally has continued and protests have continued around it. New rules passed earlier this year by the city council require outside agencies like WSP to follow SPD’s command in crowd control situations.
Rally organizers have been passing around buckets requesting donations from attendees.
UPDATE 7:20 PM: Seattle’s mayor has taken the unusual step of putting out a statement on the day’s police activity lauding free speech — and blaming unrest in the crowd on “anarchists” who the mayor says “infiltrated the counter-protestors group.”
“I am grateful for those who make their voices heard in support of our neighbors without resorting to violence,” Harrell said in the statement. “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.”
In the statement, Harrell said police asked rally organizers to end the event early because of the conflict “which they did.”
The permits for the rally event are also being scrutinized, Harrell said Saturday night. The mayor says he has asked 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.”
Harrell’s full statement is below:
“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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There was nothing I saw directed at police. There were a couple water balloons thrown by the counter protesters at the fascists. Total overreaction by SPD.
And we just gave them a raise too.
Things can happen even if you didn’t see them. Luckily police have body cameras so if they’re telling the truth about this one the video will show it.
If they threw balloons, maybe don’t do that next time. It makes the anti side look stupid.
More clownfoolery from clown PD. Not to mention the city that granted these eastern WA wackos a permit in the first place. Hello, McFly like that was a good idea.
Who is running this city? Barnum & Bailey?
Exactly. I mean, I do think there were many things our counter protesters could have done so much better, like committing to non-violence and letting Unitarian/Lutheran groups lead the counter protests. That way, when cops decided to escalate, the visuals would have been of them attacking religious groups. Also, I would have met them with signs with quotes from their own Bible pointing out the hypocrisy of their movement. As it stands, unfortunately, it seems like they gave them the fodder they wanted in order to recruit people to their movement.
SPD reported on Twitter that they have requested help from Washington State Patrol
I hope they don’t come
Narrator: But they did come.
Racist and anti trans cops protecting the right wing idiots causing problems? Noooo can’t be
The far right media is going to use today’s clash as evidence Seattle is unruly, which could encourage a crackdown from the feds. Protests are more impactful when they are peaceful.
The only violence was committed by SPD.
Yeah….”don’t mess with our kids”…’cause they need to turn out just as stupid as their bigoted small-minded parents…
Harrell’s statement was really well done. About as good a statement as could have been made. I hope the action that must follow it is equally well executed.
I noticed he didn’t say one bad word about the rally or its organizers, and made it seem like they legally law-abiding citizens who were not actually a hate group protected by both police and armed security guards and led by an ex-politician who has a history of domestic terrorism.
Instead, he blamed the violence on “anarchists” rather than everyday people who were trying to stand up to the hate groups.
Free speech is the government not censoring you. People have every right to react as they should without getting assaulted by the police that they pay for (and that the protestors do not).
Is it really a “clash with police” if the police appear to have been the primary instigators of violence? The photos really aren’t backing up a narrative of protesters starting something.
I was there at the end, and from what I saw, 90% of the rally had left and the crowd was shouting but peaceful when the cops suddenly surged forward and grabbed a guy who was standing ten feet from me (and not doing anything, except he was dressed in black). After that the crowd got angry and the chant went from “Trans rights are human rights” to “Fuck the fascists.” Did SPD decide that violence was likely so they wanted to start it on their terms? That’s what it looked like to me.
So blac bloc once again taking over meaningful protests for their own anarchist goals?
I mean, if the request was granted, show up and shout louder without projectiles. This district doesn’t know how to play people, it takes the bait and reacts as expected. The Hill just antagonizes and sours a national progressive narrative. Seattle looks stupid in media spin aimed at the masses. Matt and Jenn in middle America consumes social media clips of the disfunction and it’s likely not for them and are pushed away in support.
If the permit was processed and allowed by the City, hit it policy officially before and after, Do better at politicking and write the narrative.
Shame on Seattle Parks for tearing out the BLM gardens just to turn around and permit the space to events like this.