Photos: Thousands Gather for “Philly is Charlottesville” Rally
Police say more than two thousand people flooded the city’s streets on Wednesday night for the “Philly is Charlottesville” march against racism.
Interfaith organization POWER (Philadelphians Organized to Witness, Empower and Rebuild) organized the demonstration, which began at 7 p.m. near Congregation Rodeph Shalom in North Philly. Protesters marched south on Broad Street to City Hall, where they shut down surrounding streets around 8 p.m.
Protesters, including Philly Democratic District Attorney nominee Larry Krasner and Councilwoman Helen Gym, condemned the violent white supremacist and neo-Nazi gatherings this past weekend in Charlottesville, Va., where dozens of people were injured and one young woman was killed.
The demonstration was peaceful – police said there were no arrests.
Not far from the Arch Street United Methodist Church, where protesters ended the march, fences and dozens of police officers guarded the city’s Frank Rizzo statue.
The statue has drawn controversy since the white supremacists and neo-Nazis descended upon Charlottesville in their attempt to preserve a Confederate monument. Rizzo, a former mayor and police commissioner, is criticized for his contentious relationship with the city’s African American and gay communities, among other things.
The statue was fenced off earlier in the day – but that didn’t stop a man from throwing eggs at it. Protesters called for the removal of the statue, but no issues were reported.
Protestors chant 'Down with the RIZZO statue' during 'Philly is Charlottesville' rally in center city. pic.twitter.com/svxizbEbmw
— Dann Cuellar (@DannCuellar) August 16, 2017
Here are photos and videos from the march:
It was wonderful to see so many commited to ending white supremacy @ #PhillyisCharlottesville. Thanks to the organizers at @powerinterfaith pic.twitter.com/t3O6O65IwE
— Mr. Waskom (@MrWaskom) August 17, 2017
Ground video of crowd marching through Center City during "Philadelphia is Charlottesville" rally. @NBCPhiladelphia pic.twitter.com/HwWdjmc1qp
— Brandon Hudson (@BHudTV) August 17, 2017
Crystal's dog Reggie is "against hate" as his sign says pic.twitter.com/lp00F3rpCp
— Adia H. Robinson (@ahrobinson8) August 17, 2017
https://www.instagram.com/p/BX4MS0EFmom/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BX4KS2CgEu5/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BX4GzeDgUMd/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BX4OL23geki/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BX5LnU5gn0H/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BX5TJMzlMud/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BX5NDQOh1_H/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BX5ITyQFy9W/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/p/BX4LgQiFHcF/?hl=en&taken-by=mch463
https://twitter.com/HelenGym2015/status/897972444543242240
https://twitter.com/HelenGym2015/status/897968095934984192
"Our fight for justice is global" #PhillyIsCharlottesville pic.twitter.com/uf7L7RVaMj
— Philly We Rise (@phillywerise) August 16, 2017
WATCH LIVE: Crowd marches through Center City to protest violence at white supremacist rally in Charlottesville: https://t.co/3mtbEmoP65 pic.twitter.com/12JVcuJlTE
— NBC10 Philadelphia (@NBCPhiladelphia) August 16, 2017
Photos from 'Philadelphia is Charlottesville' rally against white supremacy pic.twitter.com/uO32iYmFZz
— Action News on 6abc (@6abc) August 17, 2017
The march stretches for several blocks down Broad Street. At Broad and Wood now. #PhillyIsCharlottesville pic.twitter.com/lae4cdlr63
— Aubrey Whelan (@aubreyjwhelan) August 16, 2017
Crowd arriving at Congregation Rodeph Shalom for the #PhillyisCharlottesville march against white supremacy pic.twitter.com/9xlHQBN6OU
— Aubrey Whelan (@aubreyjwhelan) August 16, 2017
United Methodist packed, several thousand more stood outside for 'Philly is Charlottesville' rally pic.twitter.com/nMWaku8bdf
— Dann Cuellar (@DannCuellar) August 17, 2017
https://twitter.com/abgutman/status/897977313211686914
Rabbi Mordecai Libling gives a first hand account of the events in Charlottesville this past weekend. #PhillyIsCharlottesville pic.twitter.com/r5Br22JGtB
— POWER Interfaith (@powerinterfaith) August 17, 2017
https://twitter.com/powerinterfaith/status/897994070685036544
Follow @ClaireSasko on Twitter.
