Faith-based rally planned in Seattle’s LGBTQ hub lacks permit, city says

(The Center Square) – Another religious rally is planned to occur in the heart of Seattle’s LGBTQ neighborhood later this month, but the city says a permit to use the location has not been requested yet.

The planned rally was announced immediately after a previous anti-transgender rally titled “MayDay USA” was held by a faith-based group at Cal Anderson Park in May. A counterprotest occurred and ultimately 23 arrests were made.

The event made national news and drew the attention of Sean Feucht, a Christian musician and founder of the Let Us Worship movement, who posted on social media that Seattle approved a permit for a faith-based rally of his own at Cal Anderson Park on Aug. 30.

The planned rally is part of Let Us Worship’s “Revive in 25” tour of multiple U.S. cities to “renew cities that have been devastated for generations.”

However, Callie Craighead, press secretary to Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, told The Center Square a permit has not been issued for any park regarding the Revive in 25 event.

Craighead added that park use permits cannot be issued until about two weeks prior to an event. According to the city’s park use permit process, “Permits are issued 15-30 days prior to your event.”

The permit for the MayDay USA rally was issued on April 8, over a month prior to the event.

The May event at Cal Anderson Park shook the local community, with many questioning why a rally focusing on anti-LGBTQ rhetoric was permitted in Capitol Hill. City records obtained by The Center Square show that the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department “found out AFTER the fact that [the rally] would have free speech components,” according to one obtained email from Seattle Parks staff.

Seattle Parks and Recreation permits a variety of events and gatherings in its public parks, including rallies, protests, and free speech events as First Amendment protections require the city to enable the expression of free speech throughout the parks system.

United Revival, the California-based nonprofit that requested the permit for the May event, asked to utilize a street location near Pike Place Market for a worship event through the Special Events Office, but was rejected due to the size and scope of the event, which was deemed too large.

In an email to a United Revival administrator, a Seattle Special Events program manager recommended an alternate location for the worship event, including Cal Anderson Park, which was listed as available at the time.

The group then submitted its first permit request through Seattle Parks and Recreation for Cal Anderson Park, which met the size and logistical needs for the event.

The religious group MayDay USA’s mission is inspired by the “#dontmesswithourkids” movement. The group explicitly states its goals are to oust government officials who do not share their views, including Harrell for his consistent support for reproductive rights and Seattle’s LGBTQ community.

Feucht previously attempted a prayer rally in Seattle’s Gas Works Park in September 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. He originally failed to get a permit, but the rally was allowed after he deemed it a worship protest instead.

Let Us Worship did not respond to The Center Square’s request for comment.