Tag Archives: protests

‘No Kings’ protests planned for Seattle include rally in Cal Anderson Park amid heated clashes over federal immigration enforcement — UPDATE: Wednesday night bulletin

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UPDATE: Hundreds filled Cal Anderson Wednesday night in a protest against ICE and the Trump administration. The demonstrators marched to the downtown federal building where the protest continued into the night (Image: Alex Garland/CHS)

Cal Anderson’s place as a gathering space for free speech and defiance against the Trump administration in Seattle will be on display this weekend as “No Kings” protests are planned across the country Saturday.

Crowds and energy will be split in the city. Many groups and organizations are planning a Saturday noontime rally in the Capitol Hill park before a march to the Seattle Center. Other groups have centered on the University of Washington for their demonstrations.

UPDATE 5:00 PM: SPD’s East Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator has issued a bulletin to businesses and community groups about protest activities expected in the area Wednesday night. “It is likely unaffiliated small groups intent on committing violence and/or property damage will attempt to embed themselves un this rally,” the SPD bulletin reads. We have posted the full statement at the end of this report. UPDATE x2: East Precinct Captain Jung Trinh has clarified that the bulletin was issued by the city’s Office of Economic Development, not the precinct.

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Cal Anderson protest: No charges (yet), Parks says nope to August, FBI threat, and ‘mostly silent’ vigil planned outside Seattle church

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The Seattle Police Department has referred one case to prosecutors out of the 23 people arrested in the Saturday, May 24th counter-demonstration against an anti-trans and reproductive rights Christian rally in Cal Anderson Park while city officials have been loud and clear that another rally planned for August won’t take place on Capitol Hill.

Meanwhile, a vigil is being planned for Sunday outside one of the Seattle churches behind the provocative events. Continue reading →

Church groups say holding another Cal Anderson Park rally in August — UPDATE: ‘Not granted’

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Saturday’s counter-protest crowd faced a line of Seattle Police officers in riot gear

As the Seattle Police Department says it made eight new arrests as protesters squared off with fundamentalist Christian groups calling for the mayor’s resignation outside City Hall Tuesday night, organizers are crowing about another evangelical event they say is planned for Cal Anderson Park in August.

Mayor Bruce Harrell and Seattle officials, it seems, have a scheduling problem.

Anti-LGBTQ Christian groups said Tuesday they have a permit to hold a “Revive in 25” rally on Saturday, August 30th in the popular Capitol Hill park.

UPDATE 5/28/2025 3:20 PM: A parks spokesperson said Wednesday afternoon that the August permit “has not been granted” but went on to say that officials are working with organizers on finding a new location for the event.

“[The organizers] recently requested to move their event to a different park, and we are discussing options with them,” the spokesperson said.

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Seattle Police make multiple arrests during counter-protest of fundamentalist church group’s rally in Cal Anderson Park — UPDATES

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(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. Continue reading →

Protests planned as fundamentalist church bringing #DontMessWithOurKids rally to Cal Anderson next week

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A sign at Seattle’s May Day rally in Cal Anderson Park

May 2025 will be a busy month for First Amendment activities in Capitol Hill’s Cal Anderson Park. Counterprotests are being planned as one of the state’s largest “charismatic” churches is bringing a “#DontMessWithOurKids” rally to the popular neighborhood park next week.

“May 24th at Cal Anderson Park, we’re standing for truth, justice, and life,” the promotion from On Fire Ministries reads. “We are raising our voices against the evils of sex trafficking and the tragedy of abortion — and we are defending the sanctity of the nuclear family.” Continue reading →

May Day 2025 in Seattle crosses Capitol Hill with rally, chants, and marching — UPDATE

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Seattle May Day crowds crossing Broadway Thursday afternoon (Image: CHS)

With reporting by Matt Dowell

A sunny Seattle May Day 2025 saw thousands rallying for worker and immigration rights fill Cal Anderson Park and march from Capitol Hill to downtown Thursday afternoon.

Crowds grew from the noontime rally with hundreds of workers from multiple unions and labor groups joining hundreds and hundreds more from community and activist groups. Plenty also showed up to protest the second Trump administration and the White House’s ongoing worker cuts in key science, health, safety, and transportation departments and attacks on spending on federal programs.

A very rough survey of the signage yielded these stats: 25% in support of democracy and against fascism, 16% tired of Elon Musk, 15% wanting an end to Trump and Project 2025, 11% supporting immigrants and abolishment of I.C.E. Among the remaining causes represented: workers, Ukraine’s war effort, Trans rights, empathy, and an end to chaos. Specifically, “Stop the poo flinging chaos monkeys”.

Still, a common thread emerged.

“We’re out here for solidarity between labor and the migrant community,” said Corinne Cosentino, business manager at the OPEIU Local 8 union. OPEIU represents employees working in offices, health and home care, housing, social services, the insurance industry, legal services and the public sector. “This is an outlet for people’s need to stand up.”

Kong Barry of the UFCW 3000, which represents nearly 30,000 workers in grocery stores like Safeway, Fred Meyer, QFC, and Albertsons, said that as billionaires take over, workers need to band together to “get some of the pie”. Livable wages, healthcare, pensions – these are all things her union fights for. An immigrant herself, she said that many are simply looking for a better life in America. “What is so wrong with that?”

Earlier Thursday, students joined faculty in a walk-out at nearby Seattle Central to protest budget cuts. Continue reading →

2025’s anti-Trump protests are smaller, low-conflict, frequent, and have great signs — Another marched on Broadway Saturday

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The latest in a year of smaller, more local, low-conflict protests focused on messaging against the second Trump administration filled the Seattle Central plaza and Broadway Saturday.

The Capitol Hill rally and march was part of a national day of “Hands Off” protests across the country and up and down the Puget Sound. It was also part of multiple demonstrations in the city itself as groups like Seattle Indivisible have kept a steady drum beat of protests in motion with frequent, nearly weekly gatherings centered in neighborhoods and cities across the region instead of attempting larger rallies in Seattle.

Keeping track of the smaller events has been sometimes a challenge for those wanting to get involved and sort out if a planned protest will have a healthy turnout. Continue reading →

CHS Pics | ‘Hands Off’ Seattle protest gathers below the Space Needle

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Thousands gathered at the Seattle Center in the shadow of the Space Needle this weekend as protesters joined in Saturday’s nationwide “Hands Off” demonstrations in cities large and small across the country.

The Seattle protest was as much rally as demonstration and there were no reports of issues with police or arrests. It continues a string of demonstrations in the city including federal workers bringing the issues around the Trump administration’s attempts to gut resources like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to Montlake Blvd. Continue reading →

The FBI is reportedly looking for duo who set a Tesla on fire on Capitol Hill

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You can buy anti-Elon bumper stickers like this from Jeff Bezos

The FBI has issued an alert to owners and a joint task force involving the bureau’s counterterrorism division and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating acts of vandalism against Tesla vehicles including an arson fire that damaged a 2022 Model S parked near the busy restaurants and bars of Capitol Hill’s 15th Ave E earlier this month.

“These incidents have involved arson, gunfire, and vandalism, including graffiti expressing grievances against those the perpetrators perceive to be racists, fascists, or political opponents,” the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center alert reads. “These criminal actions appear to have been conducted by lone offenders, and all known incidents occurred at night.” Continue reading →