FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino stated Tuesday he had requested an investigation into allegations of “targeted violence” towards non secular teams after an evangelical conservative group held a rally at Seattle Metropolis Corridor in response to the mayor blaming Christians for igniting a weekend demonstration that turned violent.
“We have asked our team to fully investigate allegations of targeted violence against religious groups at the Seattle concert. Freedom of religion isn’t a suggestion,” Bongino wrote on X.
The Christians’ “Rattle in Seattle” demonstration started at 5 p.m. Tuesday on the 4th Avenue steps of Metropolis Corridor in downtown Seattle, the place counter-protesters had been additionally current, in accordance with Fox 13.
A complete of eight individuals had been arrested for assault throughout dueling demonstrations as of 8 p.m., in accordance with Seattle Police. No accidents had been reported.
“Two opposing groups gathered along 4th Avenue. Streets around the dueling demonstrations were shut down for several hours, but reopened just before 8 p.m.,” police stated in a press launch.
Fox Information Digital has reached out to Seattle Police for potential up to date arrest totals.
Tuesday’s protest comes after an indication on Saturday at Cal Anderson Park throughout MayDayUSA’s “Don’t Mess With Our Kids” rally and a pro-LGBTQ counter-protest.
Police made 23 arrests at that demonstration after violence broke out when occasion organizers, attendees and counter-protesters converged.
Mayor Bruce Harrell, a Democrat, launched an announcement after the weekend demonstration, blaming the Christian rally and infiltrating “anarchists” for the violence breaking out on the counter-protest.
“Seattle is proud of our reputation as a welcoming, inclusive city for LGBTQ+ communities, and we stand with our trans neighbors when they face bigotry and injustice,” the mayor stated on the time. “Today’s far-right rally was held here for this very reason – to provoke a reaction by promoting beliefs that are inherently opposed to our city’s values, in the heart of Seattle’s most prominent LGBTQ+ neighborhood.”
“Anarchists infiltrated the counter-protestors group and inspired violence, prompting SPD to make arrests and ask organizers to shut down the event early, which they did,” he continued.
The mayor additionally launched respective statements on Tuesday from a number of of town’s Christian and Jewish leaders siding with Harrell and condemning the weekend “Rattle in Seattle” protest.
“Mayday’s desire is to wrap their personal hate, fear, and bigotry in Christian speak. It won’t work,” Rev. Dr. Patricia L. Hunter, a Baptist pastor, stated in an announcement.
“The call of Jesus to his followers was to first love God and secondly to love our neighbors. In no way does the ideology or bad theology of this fringe group embody the love of God we are to exhibit. Those of us who actually follow the Jesus of the New Testament work to make the welcome tent bigger so that all God’s children regardless of sexuality or sexual identity are welcome at the table of love, justice, grace, and mercy.”
Organizers of the “Rattle in Seattle” protest took difficulty with the mayor’s assertion, which they stated confirmed non secular bigotry and an assault on their First Modification rights, and held the rally on Tuesday to protest his remarks.
“Following the MayDay USA worship event at Cal Anderson Park on Saturday, Mayor Harrell had the audacity to issue a press release blaming Christians for the premediated violence of Antifa which resulted in the hospitalization of Seattle Police Department personnel and the arrest of 23 Antifa agitators,” the organizers stated in an announcement. “Under Mayor Harrell’s leadership, the city of Seattle has continued its spiral into lawlessness and dysfunction while the First Amendment rights of citizens to peacefully assemble has been disregarded.”
Fox Information Digital has reached out to the mayor’s workplace for remark.
