100+ gathered in Westlake Park to protest Kavanaugh’s nomination



SEATTLE  --  More than one hundred protesters gathered in Seattle's Westlake Park Thursday to voice their opposition to Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court.

“This is a national thing, so it’s not just us. We are doing it with many others around the country,” says march organizer Ariel Hard of Seattle Clinic Defense.

Organizers say the rally and march titled, “Cancel Kavanaugh”, is a chance to create a united front.

“The goal is just to stand with other survivors and people who feel like this is wrong, very wrong, that people with these accusations can be sat on the supreme court,” says Hard.

She claims she is a survivor of sexual assault.

“I understand that choice to not say anything. I never really said anything publicly until the day of Dr. Ford’s testimony; just like so many others who came out and said, 'that’s me, that’s my story,'” says Hard.

The crowd of protestors marched to the Federal building, where we met Julie Vielle.  She claims she is also a survivor of sexual assault.

“I come from a very long line of #MeToo victims. Those of us that are out here are speaking up for those of us that can’t,” says Vielle.  “People who have been abused are either not believed or not considered worthy of justice. I think the #MeToo movement that has been building over the last year for sure has been giving people a voice and giving people a platform.

"This is our chance to say enough is enough, especially for a justice position where somebody is there for their lifespan. We don’t want somebody with this background and history in that kind of office,” says Shirley Henderson.

Among the crowd were two presumed supporters of Kavanaugh; a man wearing a Make America Great Again hat and other man wearing a Trump banner over his shoulders.

Q13 News never witnessed any kind of trouble among anyone in the crowd of people.  Everything remained very peaceful from the start at Westlake Park, all the way to the Federal building.