Claim: A video shows a large number of demonstrators in Seattle protesting against US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Fact: The video in question appeared online as early as 15 June 2025, a week before the US launched strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Therefore, it could not have been a protest against the US strikes in Iran. In addition, the video likely shows a protest in San Diego, not Seattle.
A video widely circulated online claiming to show a protest against the United States’ move to strike Iran on 21 June 2025.
Facebook account Sindh Now shared the video, writing, “امریکا کی ریاست واشنگٹن کے شہر سیئٹل میں ایران پر امریکی حملے کے خلاف شدید عوامی احتجاج کا سلسلہ جاری ہے۔
ڈیموکریٹ ریاست کہلانے والے واشنگٹن کے شہر سیئٹل میں بڑی تعداد میں شہری سڑکوں پر نکل آئے اور انہوں نے امریکی حکومت کی پالیسیوں کے خلاف نعرے بازی کی۔
مظاہرین یک زبان ہو کر یہ نعرہ لگا رہے تھے: “ٹرمپ کو جانا ہوگا — جنگ ہمارے نام پر نہیں ہوگی۔۔ !”
یہ احتجاجی مظاہرے ایران کی جوہری تنصیبات پر امریکی حملوں کے بعد شروع ہوئے ہیں”
[Translation: In Seattle, a city in the US state of Washington, public protests against the US attacks on Iran continue with intensity.
In Seattle, part of what is considered a Democrat-led state, large numbers of citizens took to the streets, chanting slogans against the U.S. government’s policies.
Protesters raised a unified chant: “Trump has to go — Not in our name, this war!”
These demonstrations began after the US launched strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.]
Another user shared the same video with the caption: “امریکی عوام ٹرمپ انتظامیہ کے ایران پر کیے گئے حملے کے خلاف لاکھوں کی تعداد میں احتجاج کرنے سڑکوں پر نکل آئی۔
“ٹرمپ کو جانا ہو گا” ۔۔ “ہم اس جنگ کا حصہ نہیں”۔۔ “ہم اب کوئی جنگ اپنے نام پر نہیں ہونے دیں گے” کے نعرے امریکہ بھر میں گونج اٹھے۔”
[Translation: The American public came out onto the streets in the millions to protest against the Trump administration’s attack on Iran.
Chants of “Trump has to go”, “We are not part of this war,” and “We will not allow any more wars in our name” echoed across the United States.]
This article does not aim to fact-check whether any protests took place in Seattle following the strikes in Iran, but only the video in question.
Israel launches strikes in Iran
On 13 June, Israel launched strikes targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities and ballistic missile sites. The strike targeted Iranian nuclear scientists and senior military leadership; among those reportedly killed were Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Revolutionary Guards Chief Hossein Salami, and IRGC Aerospace Commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh, as well as six Iranian nuclear scientists. Israel targeted key sites, including a major oil depot, a natural gas field, and residential areas, resulting in at least 78 people being killed and over 300 injured, as of 13 June.
In response, Iran launched over 150 ballistic missiles and more than 100 drones at Israeli targets. On 24 June, the Associated Press (AP) reported that up to 24 people were killed and over 1,000 injured in Israel, according to the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists.
US enters the war
The conflict entered its second week with the US officially entering the war on 21 June 2025. Late Saturday, President Trump announced that the US had struck three main nuclear sites in Iran and warned that Tehran would face more devastating attacks if it did not agree to peace. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump’s decision to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities, calling it a historic move that would prevent a dangerous regime from acquiring nuclear weapons. On the other hand, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi condemned the attacks as a blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter, warning of serious consequences and asserting Iran’s right to self-defense.
Following the US strikes, Iran retaliated by launching a missile attack on the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, a key US military installation. Qatar’s air defenses intercepted the majority of the missiles, and no casualties were reported. The attack marked a significant escalation, as it was Iran’s first direct attack on US forces in the Gulf during the conflict.
To de-escalate tensions, Trump announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, which was declared effective on 24 June. However, just before the ceasefire was to take effect, Iran launched a missile strike on the Israeli city of Beersheba, killing at least four civilians and injuring 20 others. Israel accused Iran of violating the ceasefire and responded with airstrikes targeting sites in Tehran.
Iran’s military denied launching missiles toward Israel, the Associated Press (AP) reported, citing the Islamic republic’s state-run news agency. However, sirens blared across Israel on Monday, according to the Israeli military, while an official told the AP that two Iranian missiles were intercepted.
Israel’s last wave of strikes targeted Iranian military infrastructure near Isfahan, prompting retaliatory drone launches by Tehran, according to a report by Al Jazeera. “Iran violated the ceasefire, ‘but Israel violated it too’, Trump told reporters earlier in the day on the White House’s South Lawn as he departed for the NATO summit,” the report added. The US President expressed strong disapproval of both nations for breaching the ceasefire. He used particularly strong language, warning Israel against further military actions which would violate the agreement.
Fact or Fiction?
In addition to claiming that the viral video shows a protest against US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, some posts also alleged that the footage was taken in Seattle. However, in the original video, the person filming can be clearly heard stating that it was shot in San Diego. He begins the video by saying, “Good Morning San Diego. America is pissed off people. This is waterfront park at the county building in San Diego, California. We are here to protest Donald Trump, his administration. Trump must go.” This part of the audio raised our suspicions about the claim.
Therefore, Soch Fact Check conducted a reverse-image search using keyframes of the video to trace the original footage and understand its context. We found that the video was shared as early as 15 June by Instagram user @jess_porter_official with the caption:
“SAN DIEGO SHOWED UP! – Protesting Trump’s tyranical MAGA government. ❌👑❌
80,000 people converged on downtown to speak out and peacefully protest. Beautiful to see this occur country wide. So proud of our city for showing up!
@50501sandiego @50501_socal @50501movement
#sandiego #california #50501 #trump #nokings”
The first portion of the video is identical to the viral video. Considering that it was shared on 15 June, and the US launched strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities on 21 June, the protest could not have been in response to the strikes, as suggested by the viral posts.
To further verify the context of the video, Soch Fact Check conducted a keyword search using terms such as “San Diego,” “protest,” and “Donald Trump.”
Multiple news reports revealed that a demonstration was held in San Diego as part of a broader “No Kings” protest, which took place in cities across the US on 14 June. The protest was one of the largest in US history, according to organisers and experts, with an estimated 5 million participants or over 1% of the American population showing up. The name “No Kings” reflected concerns that Trump was overstepping presidential powers.
The protests were primarily organised to oppose the Trump administration’s immigration policies. More than 2,000 “No Kings” events took place across the US, including at least 12 in San Diego County, coinciding with Trump’s birthday and a military parade organised by the Trump administration in Washington DC, marking the US Army’s 250th anniversary.
According to San Diego police, an estimated 60,000 protesters gathered downtown, marching along Harbor Drive and Pacific Highway. Organisers, however, claimed the turnout was closer to 80,000. Times of San Diego reported that demonstrators objected not only to the parade and immigration raids but also to broader policies of the Trump administration, such as the US’s support for Israel’s war in Gaza, and federal cuts to public broadcasting and scientific research
Demonstrators also rallied in cities like New York, Denver, Chicago, and Austin, waving flags and chanting slogans like “Trump has to go” and “No more wars in our name.”. Despite warnings of a “heavy force” response to protests, millions participated, with some confrontations in Los Angeles involving tear gas.
Therefore, Soch Fact Check concludes that the protest shown in the viral clip is unrelated to the US strikes on Iran. It likely shows a “No Kings” protest held in San Diego.
Virality
The claim was shared here, here, here, here, here, and here on Facebook. Archived here, here, here, here, here, and here.
On Instagram, it was shared here, here, and here. Archived here, here, and here.
Conclusion: The video in question appeared online as early as 15 June 2025, a week before the US launched strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Therefore, the protest could not have been in response to the strikes in Iran. In addition, the video likely shows a protest in San Diego, not Seattle.
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Background image in cover photo: NBC San Diego
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