Ninth Circuit hears Christian group’s challenge to Seattle permit rules over clash at 2025 Cal Anderson Park anti-trans event

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals was scheduled to hear oral arguments Monday in Johnson v. City of Seattle reviewing whether the city’s public event permitting system violates the First Amendment.

The lawsuit stems from the volatile May 24, 2025 demonstration at Cal Anderson Park in where organizers with Mayday USA were met by a spirited protest against the anti-trans “#DontMessWithOurKids” event. The Seattle Police Department crackdown on protesters resulted in strong backlash against the department and Mayor Bruce Harrell and months of investigations including the recent “written reprimand” of a lieutenant over his “here to fuck people up” commands captured on body-worn video as SPD prepared to move in on demonstrators against an anti-trans Christian group’s rally.

In the court action, lawyers for Christian revival organizers are appealing a Western District of Washington decision that denied their motion for a preliminary injunction against Seattle officials after the city denied organizers a permit for a worship event downtown and rerouted them to Cal Anderson Park where the conflict with demonstrators and police played out.

In their filings, plaintiffs contend Seattle enforces an unconstitutional prior restraint that grants officials unchecked discretion to restrict speech based on viewpoint and public reaction.

Seattle is defending its permitting scheme as content-neutral, arguing plaintiffs lack standing to seek prospective injunctive relief.