'Philly is Baltimore' protesters rally for hours; 3 arrests
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A rally called "Philly is Baltimore" that began Thursday afternoon and extended well into the evening ended with only 3 arrests and no damage to property.
The rally started in Center City Philadelphia at 4:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon and lasted more than six hours.
The event was organized by the Philadelphia Coalition for REAL Justice.
It began at Philadelphia City Hall. Organizers said the purpose was to show solidarity with protestors in Baltimore in the wake of Freddie Gray's death.
As the sun went down, the demonstration took on a different tone.
PHOTOS from the rally
There were some tense moments between marching protesters and police trying to keep them off the Vine Street Expressway.
The demonstrators tangled with police, who refused to let them move onto the highway.
Some bottles and other objects were thrown at the officers. Some officers also suffered minor injuries.
Three people were arrested during the incident. All three had been released by Friday morning.
Despite the skirmish, police said, the demonstration remained peaceful overall.
"It got a little bit dicey around Broad and Vine. There were some people who wanted to get onto the highway. That's not safe to them or the motorists. They didn't agree with that, but we were able to dissipate the crowd and get them to move on," said Deputy Police Commissioner Richard Ross, Philadelphia Police.
At times the crowds dwindled but continued marching into the night, blocking traffic and chanting in the streets.
Below is a timeline of the demonstration:
UPDATE 11:13 P.M.: The majority of demonstrators have dispersed after the march which lasted more than six hours.
---
UPDATE 10:22 P.M.: Some marchers continue to rally outside 9th District police station while others disperse
---
UPDATE 10:10 P.M.: Marchers congregate outside 9th District police station
---
UPDATE 9:22 P.M.: Marchers tried to make their way into the Four Seasons Hotel but decided to keep going.
---
UPDATE 9:08 P.M.: Demonstrators headed down JFK Parkway.
---
UPDATE 8:32 P.M.: Demonstrators move to the federal detention center
---
UPDATE 8:17 P.M.: Numbers dwindle down as demonstrators move through Chinatown.
---
UPDATE 8:04 P.M.: Demonstrators throw objects and bottles at police officers
---
UPDATE 8:01 P.M.: Reports of at least two arrests as police line holds demonstrators back at Broad and Vine.
---
UPDATE 7:48 P.M.: Demonstrators being held back by police as they try to turn onto Vine Street Expressway.
---
UPDATE 7:33 P.M.: Demonstrators blocking traffic at Broad and Vine streets as rally continues.
---
UPDATE 7:30 P.M.: Demonstrators surround police at 15th and Callowhill streets chanting "Hands up, don't shoot." Now moving towards N. Broad Street.
---
UPDATE 7:29 P.M.: Demonstrators now marching into westbound Vine Street traffic.
---
UPDATE 7:24 P.M.: March is now headed east on Vine Street.
---
UPDATE 7:22 P.M.: Philadelphia Police say the crowd is now moving northbound on 16th Street toward Vine Street.
---
UPDATE 7:20 P.M.: Police blocked Vine Street off ramp to Broad Street due to protest rally.
---
UPDATE 7:09 P.M.: Rally now at 16th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway
---
UPDATE 7:03 P.M.: Rally now at the intersection of 16th and Market streets.
---
UPDATE 6:57 P.M.: Rally now at 16th and Chestnut.
---
UPDATE 6:53 P.M.: March now headed north on 16th Street as rally continues to snarl Center City traffic.
---
UPDATE 6:51 P.M.: Traffic mess in Center City as rally continues east on Walnut Street.
---
UPDATE 6:49 P.M.: Demonstrators now leaving police car and officer on Walnut Street chanting "No Racist Police."
---
UPDATE 6:42 P.M.: Demonstrators surround police car on Walnut Street, chanting "Black Lives Matter."
---
UPDATE 6:34 P.M.: The march has now turned east onto Walnut Street.
---
UPDATE 6:27 P.M.: "Philly is Baltimore" march has reached Rittenhouse Square. Demonstrators now gathering on 18th Street next to the park.
---
UPDATE 6:22 P.M.: Demonstrators march through traffic on Locust Street as motorists look on.
---
UPDATE 6:18 P.M.: Larger march has turned west on Locust Street. Demonstrators weaving between vehicles stuck on the street.
---
UPDATE 6:13 P.M.: A second, smaller, group is marching north on Broad Street, now near Vine Street.
---
UPDATE 6:11 P.M.: March has turned, now moving south on Broad Street.
---
UPDATE 6:07 P.M.: Large group now turning off of 15th Street and looping around City Hall.
---
UPDATE 6:05 P.M.: Crowd moving onto the street in front of City Hall, now moving south on 15th Street.
---
UPDATE 5:54 P.M.: All sorts of speech is being heard at the rally. Some calling for unity, while other are taking a more serious tone, denouncing police in vulgar terms.
---
UPDATE 5:35 P.M.: The Philadelphia Police Mounted Patrol is assembling at the scene of the rally.
---
UPDATE 5:27 P.M.: Philadelphia Police Deputy Commissioner Richard Ross in command at the rally. All is peaceful so far.
---
UPDATE 5:10 P.M.: The crowd continues to grow at Dilworth Park. The group is expected to march through Center City.
Terry Caldwell of Germantown is one of the participants at the rally. He tells Action News, "I feel like this problem, though it gets so much media attention, it still goes ignored by so many people. And who is to say that I won't be the next victim? I look just like the victims, so..."
Rajah Ali of South Philadelphia tells us, "I don't want to see anybody hurt. I don't want to see any fighting or any of that going on. But we need to be heard."
---
UPDATE 5:02 P.M.: Local clergymen have gathered at the rally to promote peace and non-violent protest.
---
UPDATE 4:49 P.M.: Solidarity rally begins on Dilworth Park. Shouts of "No Justice. No Peace".
---
UPDATE 4:44 P.M.: Marchers heading east on Market Street, approaching larger group at Philadelphia City Hall for rally.
---
UPDATE 4:35 P.M.: Philadelphia police say approximately 75 people are marching on Market Street from 30th toward 29th
---
UPDATE 4:30 P.M.: A growing crowd is gathering in front of City Hall, and another group is now marching down Broad Street to meet with the other demonstrators.
