SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES

Trump rally leader: Evergreen State College is next

Jun 5, 2017, 3:26 PM | Updated: Jun 6, 2017, 9:45 am

Joey Gibson, evergreen state...

Joey Gibson has led pro-Trump rallies and freedom of speech demonstrations in Liberal communities. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, file)

(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, file)

Joey Gibson, the leader of multiple pro-Trump, Conservative rallies along the West Coast, has set his sights on Evergreen State College after racial tensions spiked on campus.

“Yes, Evergreen State College, you should start freaking out. Have your meltdown. We are coming,” Gibson told KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson.

Gibson’s group Patriot Prayer organizes rallies and events to publicly showcase a Conservative, pro-Trump, Libertarian perspective. He led a demonstration and march in Seattle on May Day. He held a free speech rally in Portland on June 4 despite objections of that city’s mayor. He hasn’t organized it, but he is also throwing his support and influence into the anti-Sharia rally in Seattle on June 10.

RELATED: Patriot Prayer leader rejects Portland mayor’s request to cancel event

There is no set date for Gibson’s Evergreen visit, but he affirms that he will bring a right-wing rally to the college campus known for its left-leaning culture.

“We have tons of people doing some research, organizing,” Gibson said. “We are not going to release any details right now. We are going to make sure we follow the law and make sure we are respectful. But they are going to hear from us.”

Gibson stresses that the purpose of his visit is to bring an alternative viewpoint to Evergreen. He also wants to prove that, despite negative press and rumor, his organization does not promote hate speech.

“The students there are being misled, as if we are some sort of hate group and white supremacists,” Gibson said. “But that is not what we stand for. That has nothing to do with us.”

“In the end, I guess someone like me and Patriot Prayer, I guess we are extremists on a campus,” he said. “Because they have gone so far to the left, when someone shows up in the center, they freak out. They are very uncomfortable with it. It’s not a good situation for them because they are going to have to hear someone who has a different point of view.”

Evergreen State College has recently been plagued by tense incidents involving racial overtones. A conflict arose between educators and students after a professor refused to stay off campus when a student group called for a day without whites. The event was meant to create an awareness of racial issues in America. The professor was called a racist by students. Gibson has called this professor “a patriot, for standing tall and not being pushed around.”

The college has since been the target of two anonymous threats that have shut down the campus. State lawmaker Matt Manweller has even called for the state to drop Evergreen from its higher education system.

Sign up for the daily KIRO Radio Rundown sent directly to your inbox.

Associated Press

Asian shares mostly fall and US futures are little changed after US inflation data improves

BANGKOK (AP) — Shares mostly declined Friday in Asia and U.S. futures were little changed after U.S. inflation data showed a better-than-expected improvement in July. Oil prices were holding steady after slipping in recent days. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index gained 0.3% to 68,533.85, while the Kospi in South Korea rose 1.3%, to 6,924.74. In Hong […]

9 minutes ago

President Donald Trump attends the Patriot Games at Spire Academy in Geneva, Ohio, Tuesday, Aug. 11...

Associated Press

Trump set to highlight violent crime reduction during a visit to New York police academy

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump plans to highlight his record on crime and safety during a visit to New York on Friday, pivoting to one of his strongest issues as he looks to boost Republicans in battleground races ahead of the November midterms. Trump is visiting the Nassau County Police Academy in suburban Long […]

2 hours ago

Zach Lahn, Republican candidate for Iowa governor, speaks to local residents during a meet and gree...

Associated Press

Iowa Republican Zach Lahn confronts curiosity, and concerns, in outsider bid for governor

ARLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — Farmer Tim Burrack had concerns about the Republican nominee for Iowa governor — and he wasn’t the only one. The conservative voter from northeast Iowa said he didn’t know Zach Lahn before the political newcomer “came out of nowhere” with a surprise GOP primary win over the candidate endorsed by President […]

2 hours ago

FILE - Navajo Code Talker Thomas Begay salutes during the national anthem at the Arizona State Nava...

Associated Press

National Code Talker day to bring 101-year-old veteran to Phoenix

PHOENIX (AP) — Hundreds of Navajos were recruited by the Marine Corps during World War II to create a code based on their native language. Their efforts frustrated the Japanese force and ended up playing a vital role in U.S. victories in the Pacific War. The program remained secret for decades and in 1982, President […]

2 hours ago

A woman walks near the fountain at the WWII Memorial, in Washington, Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (AP ...

Associated Press

World War II Memorial in DC vandalized with bubbles, graffiti

WASHINGTON (AP) — The World War II Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., was vandalized Thursday, with bubbles filling a fountain and “Clean hands dirty $” written in red paint. The Interior Department released a statement late Thursday saying: “Our U.S. Park Police are on the scene and the investigation is ongoing. The […]

2 hours ago

Luigi Mangione appears for a pre-trial hearing at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York, on Tuesday,...

Associated Press

Luigi Mangione set to appear in court for expected guilty plea in killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO

NEW YORK (AP) — Luigi Mangione is scheduled to be in federal court Friday for a hearing at which he’s expected to plead guilty in connection with the 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, according to a person familiar with the matter. Mangione could still change his mind about the plea, said the person, […]

2 hours ago

Trump rally leader: Evergreen State College is next