After Violent Protests in Seattle and Permit Pressure in LA, #DontMessWithOurKids Gains Momentum
The #Don’tMessWithOurKids movement, a grassroots campaign to defend parental rights, protect childhood innocence, and oppose radical gender ideology, faced heightened opposition in recent days—but continues to press forward with determination.
After violent disruptions in Seattle and an attempt by Los Angeles officials to block their permit, hundreds of families, ministry leaders, and prayer warriors gathered in Hollywood on Saturday for the Mayday LA rally. The event followed escalating tensions and a public statement by Seattle’s mayor blaming Christian organizers for the violence inflicted upon them.
Seattle Backlash: Mayor Blames Prayer Event for Provoking Violence
The Mayday USA rally in Seattle was the third stop on the group’s national tour. The event, which included worship, prayer, and free community services such as haircuts and bike giveaways, was forcibly shut down early due to aggressive counter-protesters—some of whom reportedly included Antifa members.
Instead of condemning the violence, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell issued a statement labeling the peaceful event as “far-right” and accused organizers of coming to the city “to provoke a reaction by promoting beliefs that are inherently opposed to our city’s values.” He added, “While there are broad First Amendment requirements around permitting events under free speech protections, I am directing the Parks Department to review all of the circumstances of this application to understand whether there were legal location alternatives or other adjustments that could have been pursued.”
Event organizer Jenny Donnelly, founder of Her Voice Movement, was stunned by the mayor’s accusations, noting that Seattle Parks officials had actually recommended Cal Anderson Park after other requested venues were unavailable.
“We worked closely with the Parks Department for weeks about the entire scope of our event, including bike giveaways, free haircuts, worship, and prayer,” Donnelly said. “Our original application for Pike Place was denied, at which point Cal Anderson Park was offered as an alternative. We sought a second location through the University of Washington but were not able to get a permit there, either, so we applied for Cal Anderson Park—our third choice.”
“After being approved by the Parks Department, we paid for our permit and ensured everything we did aligned with the guidelines they had given us. The day of our event we were forced to end several hours earlier than our permit allowed due to significantly heightened safety concerns.”
Donnelly also rejected the notion that the group came to provoke violence.
“I am shocked at the mayor’s statement that implied that we came to ‘attack.’ Anyone who was there or who watched the video coverage can tell who was attacking and instigating violence. We stayed in our permitted area, doing exactly what we had told the Parks Department we would be doing, and did not engage any of the counter-protestors.”
“Despite the rioting, Jesus was glorified today—which is the heart of what we came here to do.”
Hollywood Rally Proceeds Despite City Resistance
In Los Angeles, organizers faced similar resistance ahead of the Mayday LA event on Saturday, May 31, with city officials reportedly pressuring them to cancel the rally on Hollywood Boulevard. In response, leaders from across California and neighboring states mobilized quickly and the authorities allowed the event to move forward.
The event, hosted at Third Wave Hollywood by Victory Outreach, began with family-friendly outreach—free food, bike giveaways, and worship—and culminated in a call to action for parents and believers to “draw a line in the sand” in defense of the next generation.
Unlike Seattle, the LA gathering remained peaceful, though organizers noted that “mounting spiritual warfare” and permit challenges were clear signs of opposition to their cause.
A National Tour—and a Spiritual Battle
The Don’t Mess With Our Kids campaign continues to grow, with events planned in major cities like Houston and New York. The movement is not affiliated with any political party but is unapologetically faith-based, defending what organizers call “God’s design for family, identity, and truth.”
Seattle’s events may have drawn national headlines because of the violence—but what’s more striking is the resilience of the movement.
“Mayday USA came to bring families together, pray for them, worship, and preach the gospel,” said Donnelly. “We are strong advocates for the freedom of speech—even speech we may not agree with.”
And that message is resonating.
