Gathering comes just days after 23 people were arrested when counter-protesters interrupted a rally Saturday focused on protecting children from transgender ideologies

Carleen Johnson and Dan McCaleb
The Center Square Washington

More than 500 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 when counter-protesters interrupted a rally Saturday focused on protecting children from transgender ideologies.

All of the arrests on Saturday were among counter protesters who also injured Seattle Police who attended the permitted event. 

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.

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.

Organizers drew loud cheers from the crowd when it was announced that the Trump administration plans to investigate the city of Seattle for its handling of last weekend’s event. 

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 three arrests by police 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, rallygoers chanted thanks to Seattle Police, while on the opposite side of the barricades, protesters were shouting, “I smell bacon,” a reference to the derogatory term of calling police “pigs”. 

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.

Mayor 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.’”

As Tuesday’s event wrapped up, Seattle Police had to push back protesters so that rallygoers could safety exit the area, while officers on loudspeakers urged the protesters to vacate the area. An hour after the event ended, at least a hundred trans activist protesters were still gathered on the steps outside city hall, hurling insults at organizers of the Christian event as they packed up their equipment.