FBI Counterterrorism Squad Requested Info On Seattle Parks Event Permit And Applicants
A Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) counterterrorism squad requested information on the permit of a May 2025 right-wing event in Seattle.
The rally, situated in the heart of Seattle's Capitol Hill gayborhood, was organized by Mayday USA, which KUOW described as a "Christian fundamentalist group advocating against trans rights."
As Seattleites came out to stand in solidarity against anti-trans hate and bigotry, Seattle Police Department (SPD) officers arrested 23 people. DivestSPD has since published significant reporting on SPD's escalation of violence, lack of accountability and dishonesty.
As the dust cleared, Donald Trump's short-lived FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino announced the FBI would "fully investigate allegations of targeted violence against religious groups at the Seattle concert."
Two months later, FBI Tactical Specialist Claire Ampthor submitted a public records request to Seattle Parks and Recreation for "any and all permit(s) issued for and associated with [the] MayDayUSA event, which occurred at Cal Anderson Park on May 24, 2025. Additionally, please provide records for any person associated with the permit submission. Please provide records for all permits associated with this event, whether declined or approved, at any locations in Seattle."
In contrast, the FBI's Domestic Investigations and Operations Guide (DIOG) explicitly states that FBI employees will "conduct no investigative activity based solely on the exercise of First Amendment activities (i.e., the free exercise of speech, religion, assembly, press or petition)."
Ampthor identified herself as part of the FBI Seattle Division's CT3 squad, also known as the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), which was directly involved in surveilling and investigating the 2020 protests, even self-manufacturing a "threat to life." JTTFs have also been mobilized to action under President Trump's NSPM-7, which labels a wide range of beliefs as "indicia" of violence. SPD provides detectives to work in squad CT3 as task force officers.
Twelve days after Ampthor's request, Seattle Parks and Recreation released records directly to the FBI, but Ampthor wanted clarification.
"My original request included information on any permit applications that were denied, revoked, or cancelled. I just want to confirm that the application you sent me for Cal Anderson Park is the only permit application in your records," Ampthor wrote in a message. "Does the Seattle Parks & Recreation department maintain records of denied/revoked/cancelled permits? Additionally, is there another department that might maintain these records?"
No further correspondence history exists within the FBI's request log.
The FBI, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson, and the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation did not immediately respond to requests for comment. This report will be updated if a response is received.