Latest news with #Harrell
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
FBI scrutiny puts pressure on Seattle mayor after protest clash
The Brief The FBI is investigating Seattle's handling of violence at Cal Anderson Park, which Mayor Bruce Harrell called "politically motivated." Protests involving LGBTQ and evangelical groups have sparked controversy, with both sides accusing the city of failing to protect their rights. Harrell accused SEATTLE - The FBI is now scrutinizing Seattle's handling of last weekend's violence at Cal Anderson Park, prompting a sharp rebuttal from Mayor Bruce Harrell, who dismissed the bureau's public statement as politically charged. As the dust settles from the "Rattle in Seattle" rally on the steps of City Hall on Tuesday, Harrell remains under fire from both LGBTQ advocates and evangelical groups — each accusing the city of failing to protect their rights during a series of chaotic protests. What they're saying Tuesday evening, in the midst of mayhem and multiple arrests on Cherry Street outside City Hall, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino made his criticism public. Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Bongino said they are investigating "allegations of targeted violence against religious groups" at the Rattle in Seattle event, saying, "Freedom of religion isn't a suggestion." It's been five days since LGBTQ protesters and Seattle Police clashed at Cal Anderson Park in the Capitol Hill Neighborhood. In that time, Mayor Harrell has not addressed any criticism on camera or with a press conference. At this point, his office has only communicated to the public through statements. One such statement, shared Wednesday, offers a pointed retort to Bongino's claim. "We have had no official notice of an investigation by the FBI into the City, only a vague tweet, which seems to be the norm from the Trump administration. Free speech protections are fundamental to a functioning democracy and to my administration. We will not shy away from standing up for Seattle residents and values under pressure from the Trump administration." – Mayor Bruce Harrell. The situation remains volatile as online outrage spreads internationally, and both sides demand accountability. The Source Information in this story comes from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle reporter Lauren Donovan. A religious group is set to protest outside Seattle City Hall. Here's why Crews battle Second Creek Fire near Leavenworth, WA 2 injured in separate Seattle shootings Teen, child killed in Lacey, WA mobile home fire Dave's Hot Chicken to open 4 new locations in Seattle area. Here's where To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
Axios
2 days ago
- Politics
- Axios
How the FBI came to investigate Seattle protests
The FBI is scrutinizing what happened at dueling Seattle protests over the weekend, while some locals are questioning why the city permitted a Christian group with anti-trans views to hold a rally in the city's historically LGBTQ+ neighborhood. Why it matters: The FBI says it is investigating "allegations of targeted violence against religious groups" in Seattle after a conservative demonstration drew counterprotesters, leading to clashes with police and 23 arrests. Catch up quick: Following that initial protest, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell issued a written statement saying the conservative group that organized Saturday's "far-right rally," Mayday USA, purposefully chose the location at Capitol Hill's Cal Anderson Park "to provoke a reaction." That caused the group's leaders to plan a second protest outside Seattle City Hall on Tuesday, accusing the mayor of unfairly blaming them for violence committed by others. Members of the Christian group demanded that the mayor either apologize or resign. What they're saying: "Freedom of religion isn't a suggestion," FBI deputy director Dan Bongino posted on X on Tuesday while announcing the agency has asked its team "to fully investigate" the weekend's events in Seattle. Harrell said in an emailed statement shared with Axios Wednesday that the city has received "no official notice" of an FBI investigation. The FBI told Axios that it had no further comment. In a separate X post on Tuesday, Paula White-Cain, senior adviser for the White House Faith Office, appeared to place some blame on Seattle city officials. "Public officials must protect the inalienable rights of all citizens, regardless of their faith or religious beliefs," White-Cain's post read. "We urge the City of Seattle to uphold these rights at all faith-based events, safeguarding the ability of people of faith to gather and express their beliefs without fear of harassment or violence." Friction point: Meanwhile, some Seattle politicians have criticized City Hall's decision to allow the conservative religious event to take place on Capitol Hill. "A fundamentalist, anti-trans 'family values' protest never should have been permitted in the heart of Seattle's historic LGBTQ neighborhood," mayoral candidate Katie Wilson, who is challenging Harrell in this year's election, wrote on X. City Councilmember Bob Kettle called issuing an event permit at that location " a mistake." "There's many parks, there's many locations that could have accommodated the group," Kettle said during an interview with KOMO on Tuesday. "Cal Anderson should not have been on that list." Between the lines: The Mayday USA organizers originally applied to hold their May 24 event on Pike Street between First and Second avenues, according to the city. City officials denied that request, saying that space was too small for the expected crowd. What's next: Harrell says he has directed the city parks department to review "all of the circumstances" of the Cal Anderson permit application "to understand whether there were legal location alternatives or other adjustments that could have been pursued."
Sky News AU
3 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Trans rights radicals surround mother holding baby at Christian group rally outside Seattle City Hall
Raving trans rights radicals surrounded a mother with three young children at a rally held by a Christian group outside Seattle City Hall Tuesday, video circulating on social media shows. The 'Rattle in Seattle' protest was organized by MayDay USA, which describes itself as a pro-life grassroots movement that defends traditional family values and units. The demonstrators descended on City Hall on Tuesday to rally against Seattle's woke mayor, Bruce Harrell, who blamed the conservative group for a weekend protest that turned violent. MayDay USA had held a demonstration on Saturday at the city's Cal Anderson Park that descended into chaos when left-wing counterdemonstrators stormed the event, resulting in 23 arrests. Harrell blamed the melee in the heart of the city's historically LGBTQ neighborhood on 'far-right' demonstrators and 'anarchists' who he said were 'promoting beliefs that are inherently opposed to our city's values.' The weekend event was one leg of MayDay USA's five-city 'Don't Mess With Our Kids' tour, aimed at taking a stand against what the group sees as widespread indoctrination of America's children by the National Education Association 'in the ways of LGBTQ, social justice, and beyond,' the tour's website states. Tuesday's protest then also quickly descended into chaos when dueling demonstrations of trans activists and MayDay USA members faced off on the 4th Avenue steps of City Hall. One frightening video captured a woman carrying a baby, flanked by two young boys, surrounded by counterdemonstrators. A man, presumably the children's father, held the hands of boys, one of whom was clearly terrified by the melee and could be seen crying hysterically. Some members of the counterdemonstration urged the woman to get her kids out of harm's way before Seattle cops barged in and started separating the crowd from the family. What exactly happened before filming started and after the clip shared online ended could not be immediately ascertained. Meanwhile, MayDay USA blasted Harrell for pointing the finger at them for fomenting the violence at Saturday's rally. '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 said in a statement. '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.' FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino announced Tuesday he had requested an investigation into allegations of 'targeted violence' against religious groups after the rally, during which eight people were arrested for assault, according to Seattle Police. No injuries were reported. Originally published as Trans rights radicals surround mother holding baby at Christian group rally outside Seattle City Hall
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Sixers big man Montrezl Harrell signs deal with NBL's 36ers
Former Sixers big man Montrezl Harrell signs deal with NBL's 36ers Former Philadelphia 76ers big man Montrezl Harrell had a productive NBA career in his eight seasons in the league. He won a 6th Man of the Year award with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2020 and has career averages of 12.1 points and 5.0 rebounds in the league. In his last season in the league, Harrell played for the Sixers and averaged 5.6 points and 2.8 rebounds while filling in for a backup role behind Joel Embiid. He was also a mentor to young big man Paul Reed as he continued to push him forward at the time. As he continues with his basketball career, Harrell will remain overseas playing for the NBL's Adelaide 36ers in Australia. Per ESPN's Olgun Uluc: Montrezl Harrell has agreed to a new one-year deal to return to the Adelaide 36ers, his agent Darrell Comer, Senior VP of CSE Talent told ESPN. Harrell, 31, played eight seasons in the NBA, with the last coming with the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2022-23 regular season. He averaged 5.6 points and 2.8 rebounds per game that season. It appears that Harrell has found a home with the 36ers as he continues his professional basketball career.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Seattle mayor accused of lying after blaming Christian rally for park violence
Organizers of the Christian rally that Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell blamed for a violent riot at a local park pushed back against his claims that they intentionally provoked outrage on Tuesday. After police reported multiple arrests at the MayDayUSA rally at Cal Anderson Park on Saturday, Harrell's office released a statement defending the LGBTQ community and protesters while criticizing the "far-right rally" for provoking the violent reaction. "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 statement read. "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." Though Harrell's office suggested the rally was intentionally held at Cal Anderson Park to stir up controversy, pastor Russell Johnson, who helped to lead the event, said the location was suggested to them by the city. Seattle Mayor's Office Demanded Fewer White Men, Military In Police Recruitment: Memo "The @MayorofSeattle caught in yet another lie. He said we intentionally chose Cal Anderson Park for our worship rally to 'provoke a reaction by promoting beliefs that are opposed to Seattle's values.' Oops. He must have forgot about the email HIS OFFICE sent us on March 7th denying our permit to gather at Pike Place and SUGGESTING we go to Cal Anderson Park instead," Johnson wrote on X. Read On The Fox News App Johnson provided email screenshots showing that their initial location, Pike Place, was rejected for being unable to "successfully facilitate" the event. They also showed that Cal Anderson Park was suggested as an alternative option. Fellow preacher Ross Johnston also told Fox News Digital that their first location was rejected, and they then chose Cal Anderson Park after the city's suggestion. He condemned the mayor's statement for taking the protesters' side to "make things worse." "His reasoning, of course, is that our values inherently opposed the values of Seattle," Johnston said. "Now, when I hear that, my question is what values is he referring to? Is he referring to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights? Because I don't know if he knows this, but he's actually an elected politician in the United States of America. And in the 250-year history of the nation of America, though we might not all see eye-to-eye on every single matter, or even religion for that matter, we all do agree on having the same rights, right?" Blue State Mayor Proposes City Ordinance To Strengthen Transgender Care Protections In The Face Of Trump Eos In a statement to Fox News Digital, Harrell's office confirmed that the rally's Pike Place location was rejected and that a city staffer "shared several parks that had potential availability." However, Harrell's press secretary, Callie Craighead, pointed out that Cal Anderson Park was the rally organizers' first choice after being given other options, providing Fox News Digital with a copy of a permit from March. Craighead also suggested the rally organizers "directly explained their provocative thinking" when choosing locations by citing a pre-rally video depicting Johnston describing their Pike Place location as "Antifa's headquarters" and "where thousands showed up for BLM." "Mayor Harrell remains steadfast in his denouncement of rhetoric from groups whose messages promote exclusion, intolerance, and undermine the dignity and rights of any community member—particularly those that are marginalized, like our LGBTQ+ community," Craighead said. She added, "As a Christian himself, the mayor is guided by the Christian values of love and justice, and his comments have specifically addressed ideologies that are in contrast to Seattle's commitment to being a welcoming city for all. Like any faith community, Christianity is not a monolith—and many Christians throughout Seattle do not hold the beliefs expressed by the organizers of the Mayday rally." In response to the mayor's original statement, Johnston and Johnson launched a protest rally outside Seattle City Hall on Tuesday, calling for his resignation. Johnston also emphasized that he "100%" condemned violence. "We want nobody to be arrested. We want nobody to be hurt or end up in the hospital. Absolutely not. We condone all violence 100% of the time," Johnston told Fox News article source: Seattle mayor accused of lying after blaming Christian rally for park violence
