Controversy at Seattle coffee shop

Sunday saw some controversy on the streets of Seattle and it was all done over a cup of coffee or two. It all has to do with a viral video that was posted on Facebook that shows a coffee shop manager throwing out a group of Christian activists who oppose abortion.

The video has garnered thousands of shares and comments and has lead some people to question whether Seattle is a tolerant place. The group that was thrown out are part of a nationwide network of so-called Abolitionists who say they oppose abortion on religious grounds.

Because the incident involved the manager of Bedlam Coffee throwing people out of his business, a group of bouncers from Seattle area clubs and bars decided to back up the move with a rally of their own.

They came out to Bedlam Coffee on Sunday to speak out in support of the shop’s owners, but they were met by the very group that was involved in the viral video, The Seattle Abolitionist Society --which opposes abortion.

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They debated on the sidewalk in front of Bedlam coffee.

The group campaigning against abortion in Seattle over the last several weeks had flyers denouncing abortion, co-opting rainbow colors -- commonly associated with the Pride movement that supports the rights of the LGBT community.

Nathan Glasscock organized the Bouncer rally, “we want to stand up against any sort of hate or hate propaganda to disrupt the community.” Glasscock and his fellow bouncers faced off with two members of Seattle's Abolitionist Society.

During a heated exchange Glasscock argued that the group which opposed abortion picked Bedlam on purpose to cause problems and to possibly get the owner/manager on video during an angry moment, “they attacked this establishment which is owned by a gay person.”

Judah Ivy is the head of the Seattle Abolitionist Society. The group is linked to a national network that opposes abortion. Ivy said the incident circulating on Facebook was an indication of the sad state of affairs in Seattle, “they seemed more upset that the guy kicked us out of the coffee shop than that 60 million kids have been murdered in the last 40 years.”

At one point bouncer Jeremy Moore debated an abortion opponent for nearly 20 minutes, he felt the Christian activists were asserting their view purely out of religious dogma, “very close-minded, self-righteous Christian worldview, we're right you're wrong.” Judah Ivy did stress that he welcomed any interaction with the bouncers, or the owners of Bedlam, “let's talk that's what I'd like to say, we're open to dialogue.”

Cox Media Group