Seattle’s LGBTQ+ Center is directly opposed to the targeted demonstration of violence against our Trans community on Saturday at Cal Anderson. It is clear that some groups and individuals continue to feel emboldened in their hatred by recent executive orders and growing Transphobic scapegoating across the U.S. This coincides with increasing hate crimes here in Seattle. We need our local government to invest in more creative solutions to protect our communities that do not require the use of the police. It was clear that on Saturday the police only escalated the situation and prioritized protecting people who incite violence and hate, directly placing our communities in harm’s way. In these moments, we need to redistribute resources to community members and organizations who are trained in providing care, decreasing harm, and de-escalating tense situations.
The Center demands the immediate release of all counter protesters who were arrested.
Our communities are stronger than the hateful rhetoric and ideologies that we see from our government, online, or geographical communities. As we are moving into Pride, we can reflect on our long history of collective action, community care, and transformative justice. Seattle’s LGBTQ+ Center stands with all those who have historically borne the brunt of hate-based violence because of how they identify and how they express themselves in the world. We stand for a future where systemic change and day-to-day mobilization and education of the larger society work in tandem.
