3 arrests at pro-gun rally in Seattle

Patriot Prayer, a group founded by Joey Gibson, hosted a pro-gun “Liberty or Death” rally Saturday afternoon by Seattle City Hall. The event was co-hosted by Washington 3 Percenters, an organization whose members advocate for the right to bear arms.

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Roughly 200 counterprotesters converged across the street from where the rally was taking place. A heavy police presence kept the two sides apart.

By the end of the day, three adult men were arrested for assault after small patches of violence broke out. The rally was overall peaceful with few conflicts.

The rally started with speeches from Gibson and others in front of City Hall. The Facebook page for the event billed it as a “rally against left-wing violence” and called Initiative 1639, a state initiative to expand gun control, “illegal and unconstitutional.”

“It’s a mountain that we’ve got to climb to bring freedom back to this world,” Gibson said to the crowd. “This government above is slowly killing our spirit.”

Members from Washington 3 Percenters spoke after Gibson.

“I am a proud member of Washington 3 Percenters,” rally attendee Aryeh Rohde said. “It is our God-given right to protect ourselves. The only way to protect the individual is by protecting our own rights. To keep America free.”

After the speeches concluded, Gibson and the rest of the Patriot Prayer group marched east from City Hall starting at approximately 2:45 p.m.

Counterprotesters began shouting, “Nazis go home” as Patriot Prayer met opposition near Fourth Avenue and James Street in downtown.

“We’re here to set a standard that facism just isn’t going to go around,” counterprotester Jamal X said. He was taken into custody shortly after speaking to KIRO 7.

Small conflicts broke out between members of Patriot Prayer and counterprotesters, resulting in the three arrests.

The rally concluded by 4 p.m.