Last month, hundreds gathered for a peaceful Christian rally outside Seattle City Hall, only to be met with hostility from black bloc militants and transgender activists. Among those targeted was a de-transitioner named Ari, who says he was followed, mobbed, and physically assaulted by far-left extremists simply for attending the event and sharing his personal views.
The rally, led by Pastor Russell Johnson of The Pursuit NW Church, was organized in response to recent comments by Democrat Mayor Bruce Harrell following Antifa’s attack on a Christian worship event in Cal Anderson Park on May 25. Harrell condemned the Christians—not the masked assailants—for organizing in a so-called “queer neighborhood,” even though the city had directed them to that location in the first place.
“All I did was speak the truth: A man cannot become a woman. That alone made me a target.”
I recently interviewed Ari (@Transphobe01), who de-transitioned and was attacked by Antifa and leftist activists during a protest at Seattle City Hall pic.twitter.com/tiMbnRVRPa
— Ari Hoffman 🎗 (@thehoffather) June 16, 2025
In the wake of Harrell’s remarks, pastors and faith leaders from across the region held what organizers say was the largest Christian rally ever at Seattle City Hall. While worshippers sang, prayed, and called for Harrell’s resignation, leftist counter-protesters swarmed the surrounding streets. Several people were assaulted, including Ari, who shared his story on The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI.
“I Was Assaulted for Telling the Truth”
Ari, a detransitioned man and outspoken critic of what he calls “trans ideology,” said he attended the rally to stand up for free speech and share his perspective after living over a decade as a transgender woman.
“I was raised Catholic, I support secular values, and I believe people have the right to worship how they want,” Ari said. “But I saw what happened at that park. I saw good people being attacked by the same ideology that once harmed me, and I had to speak out.”
Ari described how, as a teenager, he entered an LGBT center as a trauma survivor seeking answers. “I was told by therapists and support groups that my issues were because I was born in the wrong body. I believed them. I lived that life for 17 years. I had every surgery you can imagine. And it didn’t make me a woman.”
Now, after detransitioning, Ari has become a vocal advocate against medicalizing gender-confused youth and what he calls the “cult-like” rigidity of transgender ideology.
“When I went to this event, I was stalked, followed around the block, shoved into the street, and surrounded by masked thugs who claimed to be fighting for tolerance,” Ari said. “All I did was speak the truth: A man cannot become a woman. That alone made me a target.”
“You’re Not Allowed to Leave the Cult”
Comparing gender ideology to a religious cult, Ari explained that his dissent made him a heretic in the eyes of radical trans activists.
“They don’t want diversity of thought. If you stop believing the ideology, you’re branded a bigot, a Nazi, an apostate,” he said. “They told me I couldn’t even wear a pink shirt after detransitioning. Imagine that. The same people who say ‘men can wear pink’ told me to change because it didn’t match their stereotype of a man.”
Ari emphasized the harm being done to youth under the current medical model, citing the case of Layla Jane, a young woman who underwent a double mastectomy at just 13 years old after being indoctrinated at age 11. Layla later regretted the surgeries, but lost her lawsuit due to the statute of limitations. “She’s 20 now and has no breasts. That’s irreversible.”
He believes many young people swept up in the movement are victims, not villains. “They’ve been lied to. They’re stuck in a sunk-cost fallacy. They’ve changed their bodies, destroyed relationships, and now they’re too far in to turn back.”
A City on Fire—And a Mayor Missing in Action
Despite the violence from Antifa and the arrests made by Seattle police, Mayor Harrell has still not condemned the far-left militants. Eight counter-protesters were arrested outside City Hall, all for assault. Officers were injured, and at one point, a group surrounded a young mother holding her baby, requiring a rapid police intervention.
This mirrors the incident at Cal Anderson Park, where Antifa militants violently disrupted the Mayday USA worship concert, assaulted attendees, and attacked police. Twenty-three arrests were made that day—but Harrell’s only public comments were to chastise the Christians for holding a rally in a “queer neighborhood.”
“This is religious bigotry, plain and simple,” said Pastor Johnson. “Our people were attacked for peacefully worshipping in a public park, and the mayor blamed us instead of the criminals.”
“There’s No Going Back”
Ari’s message to the public is direct: “This ideology is built on lies. It’s destroying lives. Politicians need to step up and shut it down. These surgeries are irreversible. There’s no going back.”
He continues to speak out, even under threat of violence. “They want to scare me into silence. But I won’t stop. Too many kids are being hurt.”
Listen to The Ari Hoffman Show weekdays 3-6 Pm Pacific on Talk Radio 570 KVI, KVI.com, and the KVI app.
