Amid national protests, locals show support for police during Mayfair rally

MAYFAIR (WPVI) -- More than 300 people gathered Wednesday at Frankford and Cottman to rally support for police in the Mayfair section of Philadelphia.

"People said, 'You know what? Police are out here every single day supporting us, so we need to show it back to them,' " said Organizer Joseph DeFelice. "So this is our way in the Northeast, in the City of Philadelphia to really give back to the police officers and show our support."

Many in attendance told us they believe the country is being torn apart by factions of groups with opposing, even bitter, sentiments.

"The only way this is gonna change is if we all unite together," said Nakesha Armstrong of Wilmington, Delaware. "It's not Blue Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter, it's All Lives Matter so we all need to unite and come together."

But division runs deep between those who would make that argument and supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement.

"They argue that if we say 'Blue Lives Matter' then we're being divisive, but if they say 'Black Lives Matter' they're not being divisive, and I consider that to be a bit of a contradiction," said Dr. Robert Sklaroff of Northeast Philadelphia.

It is a contentious and heated argument, but many say it's just a simple statement of fact, that for civilization to survive, it needs police.

"At the end of the day, when something happens to either you or I, we are the first ones to call the police," said Rosalind Pichardo of North Philadelphia. "So I think we need to show them the love and respect they deserve."

"Too many people are coming to hate the police and they're the ones who come to defend us everyday," said Maggie Calvanese of Doylestown, Pennsylvania. "They lay their lives on the line everyday."

"This is the livelihood of the city, without Law enforcement, there's nothing," said Bernadette Valentino of Northeast Philadelphia.

The rally lasted for almost three hours. It was orderly and police did not have to block off any streets.

It is the fervent and urgent prayer of many of those in attendance that no other officers are killed or injured while protecting people's rights to protest them.