Seattle religious rally featuring Christian group Mayday USA descends into chaos after they are met by Antifa and anarchists in Capitol Hill’s Cal Anderson Park where 23 arrested amid claims that Seattle’s Mayor Bruce Harrell siding with ‘leftist radicals.’
The polarisation of America continues…. A Christian ‘pro-life’ rally and concert hosted by the (far right) conservative group MAYDAY USA at Seattle‘s Cal Anderson Park in Capitol Hill on Saturday afternoon descended into chaos after Antifa militants (far left… what could go wrong?) showed up to clash with attendees, resulting in 23 arrests.
The event, branded by organizers as the ‘#DontMessWithOurKids’ rally, began around 2 pm and drew the attention of the radicals adherents for its mission, ‘defending the “sanctity of human life,” “biological gender,” and “freedom of religion.”’
Clash of opposing ideology
Not passing up an opportunity to express dissent, Antifa and left-wing counter-protesters were there to greet Christian devotees, who they claimed had ‘intentionally’ chosen ‘their turf’ to hold their rally, according to the Seattle Times.
The clash took place in the same location of 2020’s deadly Capitol Hill Occupied protest (CHOP), accusing MAYDAY USA of promoting ‘fascist family values’ and holding the rally in a historically LGBTQ+ neighborhood to incite a reaction. Protesters, including members of Radical Women Seattle and the Freedom Socialist Party, chanted, sang, and waved signs bearing messages such as ‘Keep Your Bibles Off Our Bodies.’
According to a released statement from the Seattle Police Department, tensions escalated around 1:30 p.m., before the rally’s official start, when officers observed members of one group throwing items at another group. Officers moved in to make arrests and were reportedly assaulted by other individuals in the crowd. Eleven people were taken into custody in the initial confrontation.
As the event continued, another 12 arrests were made for assault and obstruction, bringing the total arrested to 23. Among those arrested, 22 adults were booked into the King County Jail, while one juvenile arrested for obstruction was later released according to the release.
23 ANTIFA arrested in Seattle when they attacked a Christian rally. Think they will actually be prosecuted or will charges be dropped? pic.twitter.com/zPOLw5Idne
— 🇺🇸🇺🇸Red White and True News🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@RWTNews) May 25, 2025
Seattle Mayor accused of cozying up to ‘leftist radicals’
In a statement released afterward, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell to the consternation of the Christian sect, condemned the concert, after suggesting that the Christian group’s presence was deliberately provocative.
Harrell emphasized his support for the LGBTQ+ community, while criticizing ‘anarchists’ who ‘infiltrated the counter-protest,’ and called for an after-action report by the police.
‘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,’ Harrell said.
‘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,’ Harrell went on.
‘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 protections around permitting events, I’ve directed the Parks Department to review whether alternate locations or adjustments could have been made.’
Harrell’s remarks sparked backlash from critics who pointed out a perceived double standard in how the city handles protests, particularly those involving progressive causes, which they claimed the ‘city seems to favor.’
Demands were made that Seattle Mayor’s apologize, the Post Millenial reported.
‘The Mayor of Seattle owes Christians in WA State an apology for his bigoted remarks after folks who were holding a peaceful worship event at Cal Anderson Park 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,’ said Pastor Russell Johnson of the participating Pursuit Church. ’23 antifa thugs were arrested. Cops were hospitalized. Church people were assaulted. And the mayor has the audacity to blame Christians for the violence.’
Mayday USA in deciding to go ahead with national demonstrations, in a statement said that it refused ‘to stand idly by while the children of our nation are indoctrinated by a liberal, political, and sexual agenda that seeks to destroy their God-given identities.’
MAYDAY USA is staging events in five American cities, New York, Miami, Houston, Seattle and Los Angeles. Their declaration reads: ‘We, as citizens of the United States of America, are faced with the moral and spiritual decay of our nation. United as Christians across denominational lines…” They commit to defend these “following truths”:
- “We declare the sanctity of human life.”
- “We declare that biological gender is sacred.”
- “We declare the family is the foundation of a healthy nation.”
- “We declare the right to freedom of religion.”
‘As Christians,’ the collective write, ‘our strong rejection of sin must never become the rejectinon of poeple who are also made in the image of God. We share the truth, but never without love.’
But counter-protestors characterized the religious group as hypocritical.
‘They like to cherry-pick quotes from the Bible. They say they want to protect children from people supposedly bad because of misinformation about trans people,’ said 19-year-old protestor Kaitlyn Calkins, who carried a sign reading ‘The Trump fascist regime must go now!!!’
