Seattle pastor details wild scene after worship event 'swarmed' by protesters

A Seattle pastor is speaking out after violent protests engulfed a worship event earlier in May and persisted in a follow-up event on Tuesday outside City Hall Organizers hosted a Mayday USA rally at Cal Anderson Park in Seattle on Saturday which The Pursuit NW Pastor Russell Johnson helped lead The event reportedly offered free haircuts free bike giveaways and free groceries for the public as well as time for prayer and worship The event was later swarmed by protesters specific of whom reportedly threw urine-filled water balloons at attendees and more than arrests were made Saturday's event has of lesson been labeled by the media as selected sort of anti-LGBT-type rally and it wasn't Johnson commented Thursday on The Ingraham Angle FBI TO PROBE MAINTAINS OF TARGETED VIOLENCE AGAINST RELIGIOUS GROUP AFTER EVANGELICALS' PROTEST IN SEATTLE We were swarmed by hundreds of Antifa militants They were throwing water-balloons filled with urine at Christians who stood in the park and were assaulted for the high crime of worshiping Jesus in a masses space Johnson recounted Fox News host Laura Ingraham After police stated multiple arrests at Saturday's rally Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell's office published a report defending the LGBTQ group 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 message read In the current era 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 majority of prominent LGBTQ neighborhood SEATTLE MAYOR ACCUSED OF LYING AFTER BLAMING CHRISTIAN RALLY FOR PARK VIOLENCEWhile the mayor seemed to pin blame on the Christian group Johnson rejected the notion that the Mayday event was designed to provoke a reaction While a portion of the rally provided a space for parents and individuals who had de-transitioned to share their testimony and highlight concerns with transgender ideology Johnson mentioned it was done in an uplifting hopeful God can change anything Jesus has the power to transform your life way It wasn't this Westboro Baptist hateful rhetoric It was people sharing a hopeful optimistic outlook on what it looks like when God begins to work in your life he explained Ingraham In response to the mayor Johnson helped organize an event at Seattle City Hall on Tuesday which he stated was met with similar opposition from protesters Antifa was out in force They bloodied and beat up good church people who stood in line to try to get into a rally to sing hymns and worship songs and pray for the direction of the city Johnson noted The pastor noted that after announcing Tuesday's rally he was inundated with aid from people beyond Christian and conservative circles who desired to stand with Christians at City Hall because we believe in the First Amendment CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPHarrell s press secretary Callie Craighead previously informed Fox News Digital that Harrell remains steadfast in his denouncement of rhetoric from groups whose messages promote exclusion intolerance and undermine the dignity and rights of any public member particularly those that are marginalized like our LGBTQ group Craighead added at the time 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 society Christianity is not a monolith and plenty of Christians throughout Seattle do not hold the beliefs expressed by the organizers of the Mayday rally Johnson criticized Harrell's stance arguing the Seattle mayor has terminated his political career by releasing those statements It's a clown show with these leftist agitator-supporting politicians who are so out of touch with a wide swath of their constituents he commented Harrell's office did not straightaway respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment for this article FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino revealed Tuesday he had requested an scrutiny into accusations of targeted violence against religious groups after the rally at Seattle City Hall in response to the mayor purportedly blaming Christian activists for igniting a weekend demonstration that turned violent Fox News Digital's Lindsay Kornick contributed to this record