A Christian rally in Seattle meant to stand up for family values turned violent over the weekend, and now the FBI is stepping in to investigate claims of targeted attacks against religious groups.

The chaos, which erupted during a protest and counter-protest at a city park, left one officer injured and 23 people arrested, with tensions still high as authorities try to figure out what sparked the melee.

It’s a messy situation that’s got both sides pointing fingers, and the feds are digging for answers.

Here’s what we know: on Saturday, May 24, 2025, MayDay USA, a Christian pro-life group, held a “Don’t Mess With Our Kids” rally at Cal Anderson Park in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood.

A pro-LGBTQ group showed up to counter-protest, and things got heated fast. “Officers arrested 23 people at a protest inside Cal Anderson Park Saturday afternoon,” the Seattle Police Department (SPD) reported on their blotter.

They saw “multiple people inside one group throw items at the opposing group around 1:30 PM,” and while making arrests, “more protesters” assaulted officers, leading to more arrests.

One officer was injured and treated at a hospital for an injury sustained during the clash, per the SPD.

The FBI got involved after allegations of targeted violence against religious groups surfaced.

“We have asked our team to fully investigate allegations of targeted violence against religious groups at the Seattle concert,” FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino posted on X at 5:15 p.m. on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, adding,

“Freedom of religion isn’t a suggestion.”

The “concert” phrasing seems to be a mix-up—Bongino meant the rally—but his point was clear: the feds are taking this seriously.

The investigation comes amid claims from city officials that the Christian group’s presence provoked the violence.

“Anarchists infiltrated the counter-protestors group and inspired violence,” Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell said, per ZeroHedge, while also questioning why the “far-right rally” was held in “Seattle’s most prominent LGBTQ+ neighborhood.”

Harrell’s comments stirred the pot. He suggested the evangelical rally was meant “to provoke a reaction by promoting beliefs that are inherently opposed to our city’s values,” according to KOMO News, and called for a look into the permit process that allowed the event.

But the SPD’s report kept it more neutral, focusing on the actions they witnessed.

“Police working to keep two different groups apart, witnessed multiple people inside one group throw items at the opposing group,” they noted, leading to the arrests.

They also asked organizers to shut down the event early, which they did.

This isn’t the first time Cal Anderson Park has seen trouble—back in 2020, the CHAZ/CHOP protests there turned deadly, a history that looms large. For now, the FBI’s probe is just getting started, and with 23 arrests already, the focus is on sorting out who did what and why. The clash has left Seattle on edge, waiting to see what the investigation uncovers.

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