"Pro-blue" police rally set for Saturday at Independence Hall
Sen. Pat Toomey is among elected officials scheduled to speak up for cops.
PHILADELPHIA-AREA police officers will get another shout-out on Saturday at a "pro-blue" rally at Independence Hall.
Beginning at 1 p.m., speakers including U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey and conservative radio talker Dom Giordano will give testimonials about their positive interactions with cops, said rally organizer Joe Eastman.
"This is not pointing fingers at any group. This is to say, 'Thank you, and this is why we're thanking you.' We have a police department here that does a pretty good job, day in and day out," said Eastman, 63, who is retired from the Navy and serves on the 6th Police District Advisory Council.
Other confirmed speakers include Media Mayor Bob McMahon, state Rep. Steve Barrar and Fraternal Order of Police vice president James Wheeler, Eastman said.
Invitations have been sent to U.S. Rep. Bob Brady, the city's Democratic Party chairman; Delaware U.S. Sen. Chris Coons; and former Eagle and U.S. Rep. Jon Runyan, among others, he said.
The rally comes on the heels of two recent pro-police events: One in Mayfair drew about 200 people, while another in Springfield, Delaware County, drew about 3,000.
Organizers were spurred by anti-police brutality protests that sprung up across the nation in response to police-related killings of unarmed black men in New York and Ferguson, Mo.
Eastman said Saturday's rally is not political in nature, even though politicians have been invited. He expects everyday citizens will also come and will be encouraged to take to the microphone to speak up for cops.
In addition to Philadelphia cops, Eastman said, officers from South Jersey, Delaware and the Philadelphia suburbs have been invited.
"I look at it from the standpoint of a person who has worn a uniform," said Eastman, who lives in South Philly and served in the Navy from 1971 to 1996.
"Police officers, when things are bad and stuff is happening, they are the ones who go toward the trouble," he said. "If we didn't have our first responders, it would just be sheer chaos."