Seattle demonstrators marched and staged a die-in outside the Philippine Consulate, demanding justice after South Seattle activist Kai Sorem was killed on April 19.
SEATTLE — Dozens of people marched through downtown Seattle on Monday, calling for justice and answers after the killing of South Seattle activist Kai Sorem in the Philippines.
Protesters gathered outside the Seattle Convention Center, where the Philippine Consulate is located, and staged a “die-in” at one of the entrances. Nineteen people lay on the ground to represent the 19 people killed in a recent Philippine military operation, including Sorem, a 26-year-old Seattle native.
Chants of “Justice for Kai” echoed through the march, organized by members of the local Filipino community and human rights advocates. Demonstrators described Sorem as a “gentle giant” and a powerful yet kind presence in Seattle’s Filipino grassroots organizing circles.
“She was one of 19 killed in a really brutal massacre by the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” said Yumi Vergara, chairperson of the Seattle chapter of the Malaya Movement, a group that advocates for democracy and human rights in the Philippines. Vergara said Sorem had traveled there to work with poor farming communities, learning about their struggles and supporting their campaigns.
The Philippine government has said most of those killed in the operation were communist guerrillas and considers them terrorists, part of a long-running government campaign against alleged communist insurgents. Human rights advocates and Sorem’s friends reject that characterization, saying those killed were civilians, activists and community organizers, not members of an armed group.
“Kai was not a terrorist, she just wanted to help her people — the Filipino people,” Vergara said.
Raven Butawan, vice chairperson of youth group Anakbayan, said learning of Sorem’s death was a shock to local organizers who had worked alongside her. Sorem helped build Anakbayan’s Seattle chapter, that supports Filipino youth, and colleagues described her as a mentor and “firm leader” whose influence shaped local grassroots movements.
“To discover that one of our very own was massacred was quite a shock,” Butawan said, adding that her example continues to inspire young organizers. Friends at the rally said Sorem’s legacy will live on in their organizing, invoking the phrase “tuloy ang laban” — “the fight continues” in Filipino — as they vowed to keep pushing for accountability and human rights.
From what a KING 5 crew observed Monday, the protest remained peaceful.
KING 5 reached out to the Philippine Consulate General in Seattle for comment. The consulate declined to comment.
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