Juan (street protester)

Juan, also known as Pedro, is a street protester operating in Seattle, Washington, United States. He is known for yelling the same statements at the same location for over twenty years.

The Seattle Weekly says his name is "Juan".The Stranger says his name is "Pedro", although their newcomers' guide to Seattle refers to him simply as "the Frye Apartments Guy".

Juan is a Cuban refugee. News accounts place his age at 57 in 2001, and 60 in 2004. The protestor says he is not homeless; the public does not know where he lives and he occasionally appears at the Municipal building shelter. He is not on the streets to beg or busk and will usually turn down offers of money. He will also not accept food (because the police could have poisoned it).

He is so well known that journalists write of him in passing, assuming the readers know what they are talking about. Other people have even made products available; such as a drink coaster available from SeattleNotables.com, and on occasion vendors selling t-shirts to tourists include his picture. During a montage in the Bumfights series, Juan is seen being harassed by the film crew.

Juan screams his rant and holds his sign daily in downtown Seattle, generally around 6th Avenue and Pine Street. He is often in front of the Pacific Place entrance or the flagship Nordstrom, though occasionally he is a few blocks away at Westlake Plaza or the Macy's. His sign has changed a few times but always has two main antagonists: the Seattle Police Department and the Frye Apartments (a local subsidized housing unit for the poor and mentally ill). Frye and the SPD are always "devil communists". Other people named on the sign will include Ron Sims, Fidel Castro, the Vietcong, the Pope and Catholics, atheists, Mexican immigrants, and all citizens of Seattle. His sign often contains references to Jesus Christ and scripture. It also says "I am the Son of God" but it is unclear whether that phrase refers to Juan, or to Jesus Christ.

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