Hundreds of Christians gathered outside Seattle City Hall Tuesday evening to protest what they say are the anti-faith policies of Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and the Seattle City Council, just days after 23 people were arrested after counter-protesters interrupted a rally Saturday focused on protecting children from transgender ideologies.
Counter-protesters also gathered Tuesday evening but were prevented by police from interrupting the main permitted protest. There still were skirmishes between trans rights activists who tried to force their way inside the police barricades. At least two counter-protesters were placed into custody after confronting an independent conservative journalist who was filming their activity, video posted to X showed.
Breaking — Journalist @choeshow was just assaulted by trans Antifa activists outside of Seattle City Hall.@SeattlePD made two arrests.The incident occurred ahead at the pro-Christian rally calling for Mayor Harrell’s resignation. pic.twitter.com/JaxCFR2LLk— Katie Daviscourt 📸 (@KatieDaviscourt) May 27, 2025
The Center Square witnessed at least three other arrests including protesters wearing gas masks.
Inside the permitted event, various Christian church leaders sang songs of worship and talked of loving those who they don’t agree with. Hundreds of Christians had to be escorted through security into the event, as counter-protesters attempted to block the entrance at 4th Avenue and Cherry Street.
The religious organization Pursuit Northwest hosted the “Rattle in Seattle” protest Tuesday to “stand against the religious bigotry” of city policies.
Hundreds of Seattle Police on bike patrol stood behind metal barricades on Tuesday as security for the event guarded the entrance to the westside of city hall along Seattle’s 4th Avenue. The Center Square witnessed one man being hauled off by police in handcuffs as hundreds of trans rights protesters shouted at officers and attempted to push their way into the event.
As the rally on Tuesday wrapped up, hundreds of Christians chanted thanks to Seattle Police, while on the opposite side of the barricades, protesters were shouting, “I smell bacon.”
The city shut down Saturday’s rally at Cal Anderson Park early during the violence. Saturday’s rally was hosted by On Fire Ministries and was in protest of policies that expose children to transgender ideologies. As The Center Square previously reported, Cal Anderson Park is within the Capitol Hill neighborhood – a prominent LGBTQ area.
Harrell called the Saturday rally far-right and claimed it was held in Capitol Hill to provoke a reaction by promoting beliefs that “are inherently opposed to our city’s values.” But the rally’s organizers said that the park was suggested by the mayor’s office. Permitting decisions are made by the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department.
Harrell’s office sent The Center Square an email on Tuesday related to the Saturday protest stating: “Organizers directly explained their provocative thinking around a location for the event when planning for near Pike Place – stressing they would be at ‘antifa’s headquarters’ and ‘where thousands showed up for BLM.’”
• Reporter Spencer Pauley contributed to this report
