(gentle music) (upbeat music) - Welcome to The Newsfeed.

I'm Paris Jackson.

In today's episode, we're looking at the No Kings rallies that swept across Washington.

And one local city had its largest protest turnout in history.

All on the same day that President Trump celebrated his birthday with a commemorative military parade.

Plus, you'll learn what Washington's employment Security Department says about the widespread firing of federal workers.

And what the family of a slain Seattle high school student is asking the school district to do to stop gun violence.

Tens of thousands mobilized in rallies across the Pacific Northwest, as millions protested nationwide to contest President Donald Trump's sweeping policies.

On June 14th, No King's rallies were held in Tacoma, Olympia, Kirkland, Spokane, and on a ferry from Bainbridge Island to Seattle.

The largest protest in Washington state took place in Seattle with more than 70,000 people marching shoulder to shoulder from Capitol Hill to Seattle Center.

The city says it's one of its biggest protests ever.

Among those who spoke, community organizers and politicians, including US Representative Pramila Jayapal, and former governor Jay Inslee.

Organizers estimate some 2,000 rallies nationwide called for Trump to be dethroned, saying he has wielded his presidential authority like a monarch, not an elected leader.

Seattle police noted the rallies were predominantly peaceful and didn't cause any property damage.

(intense music) The fallout from the Trump administration's widespread federal workforce cuts is reverberating through agencies across the state of Washington.

A former research biologist with a national Oceanic and Atmospheric administration who was fired in February, rehired under a court order in March, then fired again in April, says "It's a giant mess."

This spring, Washington's employment Security Department held a series of webinars to connect former federal workers with healthcare, job training, and unemployment benefits.

Some former federal workers said they were locked out of their work computers while being fired and lost access to documents needed to apply for unemployment benefits.

Months after Trump took office and began slashing the federal workforce under guidance from billionaire Elon Musk, it's still unclear how many federal employees have lost their jobs.

The State's Unemployment Security Department says that there's no centralized database of federal workers.

And most agencies have not released clear numbers.

(bright music) Family and friends of a Garfield High School student killed last year, continue to mourn while also pushing for the school district to do more to curb gun violence.

On June 6th, the parents of Amarr Murphy-Paine stood amongst a large outpouring of community support as they gathered to remember him.

The then 17-year-old was shot and killed outside Garfield, while trying to break up a fight at lunchtime.

Amarr's family worked with student organizers to host the event to commemorate and process his tragic death and the deaths of two other Garfield students and two other incidents in the past year.

Amarr's dad, Arron Murphy-Paine described his son as a caring, loving soul, saying "If he loved you, you knew it."

In May, the family sued Seattle Public Schools, alleging that Garfield's Open Campus Lunch policy allowed a former student to come onto school property and shoot their son.

Seattle Police have not made any arrests for the crime.

On June 7th, Cascade PBS, Out and Back host Alison Mariella Désir and collaboration with Seattle Running Collective held the first We Out Here Trail Fest at St. Edward Park in Kenmore.

And brought folks from across the state and from out of the state together.

Désir says the run aimed to offer a radical shift in trail running where newcomers and BIPOC runners are welcomed, and feel a deep sense of belonging.

I'm Paris Jackson.

Thank you for watching The Newsfeed.

Your destination for nonprofit Northwest News, go to cascadepbs.org for more great local coverage.

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