Russell Johnson, the lead pastor of Pursuit NW, has called for an apology from Seattle’s mayor amid a violent clash that erupted at a Christian prayer rally in Cal Anderson Park.
The rally on May 24, organized by pro-life group Mayday USA for its “Don’t Mess With Our Kids” national tour, drew hundreds of supporters holding signs advocating for the sanctity of life, biological gender, the nuclear family, and religious freedom.
Shortly after, pro-LGBT counter-protesters, including groups like the Freedom Socialist Party, Puget Sound Mobilization for Reproductive Justice, and Radical Women, confronted the Christian group, waving transgender flags, clashing with police in riot gear, and throwing water bottles and other objects.
According to an event listing, the counter-protest was titled “Keep Your Bibles Off Our Bodies.” When officers moved to arrest those responsible, they were assaulted by more protesters, and the situation escalated over several hours, resulting in 22 adults being arrested for assault and obstruction, with one juvenile detained, and an officer wounded.
Following the rally, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, a Democrat, released a statement seemingly supporting the LGBT protesters, calling the Christian gathering a “far-right rally” that aimed to “provoke a reaction by promoting beliefs that are inherently opposed to our city’s values, in the heart of Seattle’s most prominent [LGBT] neighborhood.”
Harrell stated, “I am grateful for those who make their voices heard in support of our neighbors without resorting to violence,” and added, “In the face of an extreme right-wing national effort to attack our [LGBT] communities, Seattle will continue to stand unwavering in our embrace of diversity, love for our neighbors, and commitment to justice and fairness.”
The mayor also blamed violence on “anarchists” he claimed “infiltrated the counter-protestors group,” and announced a review by parks officials to explore “whether there were legal location alternatives or other adjustments that could have been pursued.”
In response, Pursuit NW, a multi-campus evangelical church in Seattle, condemned Harrell’s remarks as “religious bigotry” on social media and called for him to either apologize or resign.
Pastor Russell Johnson posted on X, “‘[Harrell] owes Christians in [Washington] State an apology or his bigoted remarks after folks who were holding a peaceful worship event at Cal Anderson Park were violently assaulted for the high crime of expressing their deeply held religious beliefs in the form of a permitted worship event on city property.’”
He criticized the city’s leadership, calling it “an embarrassment to the Emerald City,” and pointed out Harrell’s 1996 arrest on weapons and assault charges for brandishing a firearm at a pregnant woman over a parking dispute.
Johnson further slammed Harrell’s leadership record, stating, “The Mayor is on his third police chief since taking office. No one wants to work for him. His own family can’t stand him. And Antifa gets a free pass from him. I guess pulling guns on pregnant women isn’t enough for Mayor Harrell. He’s now got to blame Christians for a city that he has let go to hell.”
