2 political groups clash during protests in Old City

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A couple scuffles broke out, and a police captain was punched as two groups, with very different options, exercised their right to free speech.

The events Saturday initially began as a scheduled, "We the People Rally."

A group of politically right-leaning values.

Ted Chmielincki of Philadelphia said, "Freedom of speech, freedom of peaceful assembly, there's no reason why we can't just hash it out without having to hurt each other."

Ryan of Philadelphia added, "We're here just to basically show that conservatives aren't all bad."

However, word of their rally triggered an anti-fascist activist's counter-rally.

John Trent of Virginia said, "I'm here to show nationalism is not the same a patriotism."

Allison Macrina of Philadelphia said, "We stand for immigrants' rights, we stand for black and brown people, for women and queer people."

What we did notice by speaking with people on both sides is there are some here who want some type of unity.

Andrew Shecktor of Columbia County said, "We need to get down and sit down together somehow and make that happen."

"We don't need the racial sectionalism, we don't need the ethnic sectionalism we can sort out differences together," said Alex Palma of Northeast Philadelphia.

But as you can see in the video that the division runs deep.

Action News spoke with the police captain who was punched, and he said he is going to be just fine.

Minus some of the few scuffles that broke out things were kept mostly under control.

That was thanks to great preparation by the Philadelphia police.

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