Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell blamed a Christian rally and infiltrating “anarchists” for violence breaking out at a counter-protest on Saturday.
The Seattle Police Department reported 23 people were arrested at Cal Anderson Park during MayDayUSA’s “Don’t Mess With Our Kids” rally and a pro-LGBTQ counter-protest. According to SPD, police witnessed “multiple people inside one group throw items at the opposing group” and, while arresting individuals, were assaulted by other individuals, leading to an officer requiring medical treatment.
After the scuffle broke out, Harrell’s office released a statement defending the LGBTQ community and criticizing the “far-right rally” for provoking the violent reaction.
“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,” the statement read. “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.”
BLUE STATE MAYOR PROPOSES CITY ORDINANCE TO STRENGTHEN TRANSGENDER CARE PROTECTIONS IN THE FACE OF TRUMP EOS
Bruce Harrell defended the LGBTQ community when responding to a violent outbreak at a Christian rally. (David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
He continued, “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.”
Harrell added his support for people who peacefully protest an “extreme right-wing national effort to attack our trans and LGBTQ+ communities.” He also suggested an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the approval of MayDayUSA’s initial event.
“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 statement read. “The Police Department will complete an after-action report of this event, including understanding preparation, crowd management tactics, and review of arrests and citations.”
SEATTLE PRIDE FACES BUDGET SHORTFALL AS CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS DWINDLE AMID ANTI-DEI SHIFT
Bruce Harrell called for efforts by the police and parks departments to review how MayDayUSA received a permit to gather at Cal Anderson Park. (GENNA MARTIN/San Francisco Chronicle/Mat Hayward via Getty Images)
Fox News Digital reached out to the mayor’s office for a comment.
Local news outlets reported seeing counter-protesters from groups like the Seattle Democratic Socialists of America shouting at rallygoers and calling them “fascist scum” and arrests occurring as quickly as a half-hour into the event.
SPD did not clarify which side of the protest had initiated violence and didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
MayDayUSA is on a five-city tour holding religious rallies to, as event co-sponsor Jenny Donnelly said, “stand for our children, restore the family unit, and proclaim the gospel of Jesus.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
