Seattle police make arrests at counterprotest to 'Mayday USA' event in Capitol Hill
Seattle police make arrests at counterprotest to 'Mayday USA' event in Capitol Hill
Altercations between police, event organizers, attendees and counter-protesters led to several arrests at Seattle's Cal Anderson Park on Saturday.
SEATTLE - A counterprotest to "Mayday USA" kicked off at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Cal Anderson Park in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. Altercations between police, event organizers, attendees and counterprotesters led to 22 arrests.
Protesters counter Mayday USA event at Cal Anderson Park on Capitol Hill. May 24, 2025.
The King County Presecuting Attorney's Office (KCPAO) announced overnight that nearly two dozen people were booked into the King County Jail as authorities investigated possible charges of assault and obstruction stemming from the Saturday protests.
If those arrested were involved in an altercation with police, they can face third-degree assault charges. "Assaults a law enforcement officer or other employee of a law enforcement agency who was performing his or her official duties at the time of the assault," is cited for one of several qualifiers for the KCPAO.
Big picture view:
Community organizations and activists are taking to the park to counter Mayday USA's event, which they call a "well-funded anti-trans, anti-queer event that is led by far-right Christian activists."
Seattle police have made several arrests at the Mayday USA event as of Saturday afternoon. Counterprotestors are showing up under the theme of "Keep Your Bibles Off Our Bodies."
Local perspective:
One of the prominent supporters of Mayday USA is former Spokane Valley state representative Matt Shea, of the "On Fire Ministries," according to the Radical Women Seattle.
Mayday USA organizers have set up a tour of five cities in the country, with Saturday's event being held in what is considered the heart of the LGBTQ+ community in Seattle on Capitol Hill.
Organizers of the counterprotest say they will bring signs and banners to the picket line to demonstrate the following action items listed in a press release ahead of the Mayday USA event:
- Stop the War on Trans & Queer Folk
- Empower Youth to Speak, Define & Defend Themselves
- Defend Bodily Autonomy & Abortion Rights
- Stand Against the Racist Christian Identity Movement
- Defeat Trump, Musk, & Project 2025
What they're saying:
"We are encouraging everyone to come out and show their solidarity," said Freedom Socialist Party leader Doreen McGrath, whose organization is endorsing the picket. "Attacks of this kind need to be met with protest every time." Other endorsers include Organized Workers for Labor Solidarity, Puget Sound Mobilization for Reproductive Justice, and Radical Women.
The Source: Information for this story came from the Radical Women Seattle organization.
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