SEATTLE (WSVN) — A religious rally in Washington state devolved into a violent clash between counterprotesters and attendees, leading police to arrest nearly two dozen people.
Chaos reigned at Seattle’s Cal Anderson Park, Saturday afternoon.
Dramatic video shows people being taken to the ground, and officers using bicycles to protect themselves, as they made multiple rounds of arrests after speakers took the stage for the religious event.
The Mayday USA Tour describes itself as a faith-based initiative offering resources for people who decided on abortions and are part of gay relationships.
A hashtag seen displayed on a banner on top of the stage at the event reads #DONTMESSWITHOURKIDS.
A Seattle Police spokesperson said counterprotesters threw items at officers, while others took aim at the stage and its crowd.
Police said they took multiple people into custody for assault and property destruction a half hour into the event. In total, 23 people were apprehended.
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell said he believes the rally was held in a known LGBTQ+ neighborhood to provoke a reaction.
Earlier in the afternoon, organizers with the Seattle Democratic Socialists of America said they came to counter anti-queer messaging, and they invited multiple groups.
“I think coming to this park was really provocative, you know, and so, they’re gonna get met with resistance,” Doreen McGrath with the Seattle Democratic Socialists of America.
Cal Anderson was Washington’s first openly gay member of the state Legislature.
Other groups who were invited said they came to support the city’s LGBTQ+ community, like Mia Ebdy with the Puget Sound Mobilization For Reproductive Justice
“I would say the queer community here is resilient. They’re a very strong community, and we have each other’s backs,” said Ebdy,
The Mayday USA Tour’s featured speakers hit other mayor cities, including Los Angeles, Houston, New York and Miami.
At the Seattle event, officers on bikes swept in minutes after speaker Ross Johnston took the stage.
Harrell said the permits for the rally are also being scrutinized. He has asked the city’s parks department to review all the circumstances of this application to understand whether there were legal location alternatives or other adjustments that could have been made.