Blue Angels Face Controversy Amid Seattle Airshow This Weekend

SEATTLE, Washington – The U.S. Navy‘s Blue Angels are set to return for the Boeing Seafair Airshow this weekend, continuing a long-standing Seattle tradition that was paused during the pandemic. Starting Tuesday, residents will witness the thrilling aerial performances of the elite flight demonstration squadron above Lake Washington and Capitol Hill.

The airshow features a lineup of aircraft, including six Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets and the C-130 Hercules nicknamed “Fat Albert.” Scheduled practices and performances begin Thursday and run through the weekend, drawing excited crowds despite ongoing criticisms of their environmental impact.

Local residents have raised concerns over the airshow’s effects on air quality, arguing that the jets reportedly emit approximately 670 tons of carbon dioxide during the event. Aedan McCall, a former Mercer Island resident and designer of a protest billboard, said he left the area due to the noise pollution and environmental damage caused by the Blue Angels.

The controversy intensified this week as Lauren Ann Lombardi, a Seattle resident, filed a federal lawsuit claiming that her cat’s death was caused by the noise of the jets. Lombardi alleges that her cat’s heart condition was exacerbated by panic attacks triggered by the F/A-18s, demanding compensation and for the Blue Angels to unblock her on social media.

Critics, including the Airshow Climate Action Coalition, are calling for the Navy to be excluded from public events like Seafair, citing concerns over military expenditure and environmental degradation. Recently, a petition to end the Blue Angels’ participation has gained over 5,000 signatures.

As the Blue Angels prepare to soar over Seattle, opposition continues to build, reflecting a changing attitude toward military displays in urban environments.