Chaos In Seattle As Anti-Trans Rally Sparks Violent Clashes In Gaybourhood
What was supposed to be a prayer rally by a conservative Christian group ended in 23 arrests, hours of confrontation, and a shaken community.
It happened in Seattle’s Capitol Hill, one of the city’s most visible LGBTQIA+ neighbourhoods, when Mayday USA brought its travelling rally to Cal Anderson Park with its now-viral hashtag, #DontMessWithOurKids. The violence was first reported by KOMO News, which confirmed details of the clashes that gripped the city.
The group, which opposes reproductive and LGBTQIA+ rights, claimed it was there to protect children from “a liberal, political, and sexual agenda” that they say threatens “God-given identities.”
But in the heart of a neighbourhood known for queer pride and resistance, that message landed exactly as you’d expect.
Two Rallies, One Neighbourhood, No Peace
A conservative group rolls into a queer space claiming to preach love, but the subtext reads like an attack. Local activists weren’t having it. A counter-protest, titled Keep Your Bibles Off Our Bodies, quickly mobilised and drew a nearly equal crowd.
According to The Seattle Times, both sides pulled around 500 people. Emotions ran hot. Protestors clashed. Some hurled objects at police. Officers in riot gear responded with force. Several people were pushed to the ground, restrained, and taken into custody as chaos unfolded across the park.
A Mayor’s Response and a City’s Values
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell didn’t mince words in the aftermath. “Today’s far-right rally was held here for this very reason – to provoke a reaction,” he said in a public statement. He reaffirmed that Seattle stands “unwavering in our embrace of diversity, love for our neighbours, and commitment to justice and fairness.”
He also accused anarchists of infiltrating the counter-protest and escalating the conflict. Still, Harrell praised those who came in peace and promised a review into how and why the rally permit was approved for Cal Anderson Park in the first place.
Was this location intentionally chosen to poke the bear? According to Mayday USA, no. Spokesperson Pastor Folake Kellogg claimed the group had originally requested a permit for a different park near Pike Place Market. That request was denied, they say, and Cal Anderson was their backup.
Kellogg told The Seattle Times, “They say we don’t like people. We’re not the ones throwing things. We’re here to love Jesus.”
Locals Fire Back: “You’re Not Protecting Kids”
For many counter-protesters, that claim felt hollow. Kaitlyn Calkins, who showed up to voice her support for trans youth, said, “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.”
BJ Cummings, a local parent, wasn’t having it either. She joined the protest to defend her trans child.
“The group claims to be protecting children, when they’re actually putting them in harm’s way,” she said.
The confrontation on Capitol Hill wasn’t just about a single day. It reflects growing tensions across the United States, where anti-trans and anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric has been on the rise. For many, Seattle was yet another flashpoint in a nationwide effort to push back.
What’s clear is this: holding an anti-trans rally in one of the most queer-celebrated places in the Pacific Northwest was never going to end quietly.
