(The Center Square) The Seattle Police Department is gearing up for what it hopes will be a peaceful event Saturday at Gas Works Park.
Christian artist Sean Feucht, the founder of the Let Us Worship movement, is bringing his “Revive in ’25” tour to the city.
“The city of Seattle has invited us back to Gas Works Park!!! It’s time to bring the fire again to the city! This Saturday at 5 [p.m.] at Gas Works Park!” Feucht posted on Facebook.
Feucht tried to get a permit to perform at Gas Works in September 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdowns but was denied. He ended up moving the concert to a street near the park.
Saturday’s event was initially planned to take place in Cal Anderson Park, the heart of Seattle’s gay community, but was instead moved to Gas Works Park.
Feucht has pushed back on the transgender movement and LGBTQ agenda, which has inspired protests at nearly all of his events.
Feucht announced his planned concert in Seattle days after police and counterprotesters clashed at Cal Anderson Park over Memorial Day weekend, when there was a similar concert with local Christian pastors. Twenty-three people were arrested.
As reported by The Center Square, two days later, Christians gathered in front of Seattle City Hall for a concert to protest what they called anti-faith policies of Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and the Seattle City Council.
Two counterprotesters were taken into custody after confronting an independent conservative journalist who was filming their activity. Several other protesters, some wearing gas masks, were also arrested in separate incidents.
Charlette LeFevre, founder of the Capitol Hill Pride Festival, called it “irresponsible and offensive” that Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and Seattle have permitted Feucht’s concert.
“It’s somewhat laughable because it’s still within the city of Seattle,” LeFevre said in a Thursday interview with The Center Square. “It’s ridiculous and shocking to think we’ll just shift you to another public park because it’s still within the city of Seattle. Let’s face it … the LGBTQ community is all over. Not only the city, but this nation, and to sit there and say it makes it OK now to put it in another city park… It’s a little bit insulting to the LGBTQAI community.”
LeFevre suggested that what he considers Feucht’s anti-trans message amounts to hate speech.
“Anywhere to me within the city, within the county, within the state, within the U.S., where you have a person here who is spewing hate speech,” LeFevre said. “When he’s out there defaming and demonizing the gay community, that’s not right.”
Feucht and other faith leaders say their message is about love, not hate.
“God is using this to provoke a nationwide conversation about religious freedom and just testing how tolerant these tolerant people are,” Feucht said in a recent Christian Broadcasting Network podcast.
The Center Square contacted the SPD on Friday to find out how it is preparing for Saturday’s event.
“The Seattle Police Department will respond to criminal behavior, including acts of violence and significant property damage, while enforcing city and state law. We will be utilizing POET officers as the main form of communication between any groups that show up. See our website: The Seattle Police Department Police Outreach Engagement Team (POET),” Det. Eric Munoz, SPD public information officer, said in an email.
According to SPD, the goal for planned or unplanned demonstrations is “to have members of the SPD Police Outreach Engagement Team (POET) talk with organizers and ensure people can safely and effectively exercise their First Amendment rights. Members of POET wear special uniforms specifically labeled “POET.”
The POET officers are commissioned officers carrying department-issued handguns.
A spokesperson from Harrell’s office emailed a statement about its decision to permit the event at Gas Works Park.
“The U.S. Constitution requires Seattle Parks and Recreation and the city of Seattle to allow the expression of free speech regardless of the content of the speech,” the email said.
“Under the First Amendment, the city cannot decline a permit based on the anticipated message of the event or views of the organizers. At the same time, the city strongly celebrates and supports the LGBTQ+ community. Mayor Harrell and Councilmember Hollingsworth’s request to the organizers to move from Cal Anderson Park and Capitol Hill to another location was based in maintaining public safety. We will continue working with LGBTQ+ residents and organizations to uplift our community and create a welcoming, inclusive city for all.”
