The Mayday USA worship event took place May 24, 2025. Organizers originally sought a permit to gather on Seattle’s Pike Street, a traditional public forum.

City officials denied that request and instead directed the Christians to Cal Anderson Park in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, known as a center of LGBTQ activism.

The result was exactly what you might expect: violent attacks on the Christians.

Yet instead of holding the attackers accountable, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell blamed the Christian organizers. He characterized their gathering as an “extreme right-wing rally” and said they had held it there to “provoke a reaction,” even though he was the one who forced the church hold their rally in an LGBTQ neighborhood.

Liberty Counsel contends that Seattle’s permitting system gave city officials unconstitutional discretion to restrict religious speech based on viewpoint and anticipated listener reaction. 

That is precisely why this case matters far beyond Seattle. 

If government officials can decide where Christians may worship based on whether others approve of their message, then religious freedom and free speech are in serious jeopardy. 

The Ninth Circuit will now hear arguments over whether Seattle’s permitting practices violated the constitutional rights of these Christian organizers. 

This is the next critical battle. 

Liberty Counsel has represented these Christians without charging them a dime. But defending religious liberty against government officials and well-funded municipalities is expensive. 

We depend on faithful supporters like you to keep fighting — and your gift can have twice the impact right now. 

Please give today and help Liberty Counsel stand with Christians who were attacked for exercising their constitutional freedoms. 

When Christians are targeted for worshipping and speaking publicly, we cannot simply look away.

Help us fight back.

Thank you for partnering with Liberty Counsel to defend religious freedom and the constitutional rights of all Americans. 

Mat Staver
Chairman
Christians in Defense of Israel

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SOURCE:

“Seattle Chilled Free Speech in Christian Mayday Gathering Case.” Liberty Counsel, June 5, 2026. LC.org/newsroom/details/060526-seattle-chilled-free-speech-in-christian-mayday-gathering-case.