A PrideFest crowd in Capitol Hill was briefly sent scrambling Saturday night after a group began tossing eggs and reportedly assaulting people near Cal Anderson Park, according to Seattle police. Multiple patrol units rushed to the north side of the park, and the disturbance scattered festivalgoers before officers moved in. One person was arrested, and an officer was struck by what was described as an electronic noisemaker. The scene was cleared within minutes.
What police say
Seattle Police responded to radio reports of a crowd of roughly 50 people at 10th Ave and E Barbara Bailey Way, where individuals were allegedly armed with a baseball bat and eggs. Officers detained at least one suspect, according to CHS Capitol Hill Seattle News. Radio updates indicated officers deployed a non-lethal weapon to take a suspect into custody while Seattle Fire evaluated the person for injuries. CHS also reports that at least two victims were taken to the East Precinct to make statements.
PrideFest context
The disturbance broke out as PrideFest was drawing big crowds across Broadway and Cal Anderson Park. FOX 13 Seattle described thousands packing the neighborhood on Saturday for the multi-block festival. Organizers run stages, vendor booths and family programming across several blocks, which drives up foot traffic and the need for a visible police presence. According to the official schedule, Capitol Hill programming ran through the evening and included activities in and around Cal Anderson Park, with Seattle PrideFest outlining the day’s lineup and locations.
Response and aftermath
Seattle Police said the situation was under control after about 10 minutes and that an all-city alert calling in backup officers was canceled, CHS reports. Seattle Fire evaluated at least two victims and checked a suspect for injuries before reporters on scene said the rest of the festival carried on later that night with an increased police presence. City and festival officials had not published further details about any charges at the time of initial reporting.
What comes next
Hoodline will monitor police blotter entries, booking logs and official statements from Seattle Police and the King County Prosecuting Attorney for updates. We will update this story if more information, such as charges or booking details, becomes available.
