EXCLUSIVE: Anti-Israel activists protest Tim Walz appearance at elite fundraiser in Seattle

During his brief visit to the Seattle area on Tuesday for an exclusive fundraising event, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz faced protests from anti-Israel activists. The Democratic nominee for vice president was in Seattle for less than 18 hours to speak to a small group of donors at a morning event at the waterfront mansion of former Costco CEO and co-founder Jim Sinegal in Hunt’s Point.

According to the Seattle Times, the exclusive event had a price tag of $250,000 per person and was attended by a few dozen invitees, including Microsoft President Brad Smith and former Seahawks coach Pete Carroll. Local Democrats told The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI that they felt taken for granted because the VP nominee did not hold any public events during the brief trip and was using Seattle as "The Democratic Cash Machine." 

Outside the home, activists from The International League of The People’s Struggle chanted “Tim Walz, you’re not welcome here,” and “From Palestine to the Philippines, stop the US war machine.” The group posted on Instagram that “The brave resistance of the Palestinian people in the face of 75 years of occupation serves as a call to confront Zionists, war profiteers, and the imperialists everywhere they go.”

Walz landed in the Seattle area Monday evening around 8:45 pm and Seattle area drivers experienced long delays as the VP nominee’s motorcade took him to the airport following the 9 am event and was seen arriving at Sea-Tac International Airport by 10 am. Soon after arriving, he boarded a plane with his daughter Hope to head to another fundraising event in Sacramento on Tuesday afternoon.

Activists slammed Walz for blocking traffic on area freeways, writing, “The full repressive apparatus of the state was on display as Medina police, highway patrol, SWAT teams, and Secret Service - brandishing assault weapons - escorted Walz to the fundraiser. They had the audacity to shut down State Route 520, cause traffic and chaos, just for Walz to collect checks from fake-progressive wealthy liberals for 45 minutes.”

Anti-Israel radicals have previously targeted high-profile Democrats who have come to Seattle to fundraise including former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).