Politics & Government

Seattle Takes A Knee On Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Issues like the local housing crisis and recent remarks by Donald Trump marked Seattle's annual MLK Day rally.

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SEATTLE, WA - Thousands from around Puget Sound celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day Monday, and local and national political issues like Donald Trump's "s--thole" comments and on-the-field demonstrations by NFL players marked the annual event.

Monday was the 36th memorial rally and march in honor of King in Seattle. The event began at Garfield High School in the Central District where locals attended a job fair, seminars, and a rally so big that fire officials had to restrict access to the Garfield gymnasium.

The rally featured speakers like Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, King County Councilman Larry Gossett, and political activists like Nikkita Oliver and King County NAACP President Gerald Hankerson.

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Hankerson fired up the crowd by asking what had changed since MLK's death for black people in Seattle. The housing affordability crisis, he said, is driving black families out of the city, making Seattle and King County just a place for the wealthy.

Hankerson served 23 years in prison for a 1987 murder that he didn't commit. He implored the crowd to "fill City Hall" to demand a change in policy toward homelessness and affordable housing.

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In remarks, Durkan called Donald Trump's recent remarks regarding African countries "racist." She told the crowd that it's not enough to resist, they have to organize to disrupt racism.

Around 12:30 p.m., the hundreds gathered in the gymnasium lined up along 23rd Avenue and marched toward Westlake Park. At one point, the crowd stopped near the intersection of 11th Avenue and Pine Street, almost directly in front of the Seattle police east precinct, and in unison took a knee - a nod to the police brutality protests carried out by NFL players like Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid.


The Rev. Dr. George Noble of the Restoration Bible Church led the protest march with his granddaughter.
Keyon Wilford Jr., 4, from Seattle, marched (with two signs) along with his grandmother.
At the intersection of 11th Avenue and Pine Street - half a block west of the Seattle police east precinct - hundreds of marchers joined together to take a knee to protest police brutality.
2017 Seattle mayoral candidate and local activist Nikkita Oliver was one of the speakers. Oliver was also given a standing ovation at the request of another speaker, Gerald Hankerson.
Chandler Williams sang the black national anthem, "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing," at the Garfield High School rally.

The Garfield High School gym was so full, Seattle fire officials had to restrict access.
The march went from Garfield High School to Westlake in downtown Seattle.

Photos by Neal McNamara/Patch

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