Back the Blue: Rally to support Raleigh police draws large crowd in downtown

OF THE HARDEST HIT AREAS BY THE

STORM.

>>> WELL IT'S THE JOB OF THE

POLICE TO DEFEND THE PUBLIC

RIGHT?

PEOPLE GATHERED IN DOWNTOWN

RALEIGH TO RETURN THE FAVOR TO

DEFEND THE POLICE.

WRAL'S ADAM OWENS TAKES US

INSIDE THE CROWD AND SOME OF

THE TENSIONS THAT AROSE THERE.

>> Reporter: FEEL IT IS THEIR

TURN TO MAKE SOME NOISE.

TO SPEAK FOR OFFICERS WORKING

THE STREETS.

>> THEY DO A LOT.

THEY RISK THEIR LIVES EVERY

DAY.

MOST PEOPLE DISPARAGE THEM.

>> Reporter: ROB PALMER WAS

PART OF A CROWD THAT GATHERED

IN DOWNTOWN RALLY TO BACK THE

BLUE.

THE FACEBOOK PAGE HAS TENS OF

THOUSANDS OF MEMBERS ONLINE.

>> WE NEED TO SHOW THEM LOVE.

>> Reporter: PALMER SAYS HE IS

AMONG THE MANY WHO WAS

DISTURBED BY THE DEATH OF

GEORGE FLOYD IN MINNEAPOLIS.

HE WAS ALSO DISTURBED BY SOME

OF THE PROTESTS THAT FOLLOWED.

>> WE HAVE SEEN ALL AROUND THE

COUNTRY, INCLUDING RALEIGH, WE

HAVE SEEN OUR TOWN BURN.

WE HAVE SEEN OUR POLICE

STANDING BY NOT ABLE TO DO

ANYTHING.

THE ANGER IS BEING TAKEN OUT ON

ALL OFFICERS.

>> Reporter: SOME OF THAT ANGER

WAS SHOUTED ACROSS JONES

STREET.

BETWEEN PARTICIPANTS AT THE

BACK THE BLUE RALLY AND ANOTHER

GROUP CALLING FOR JUSTICE AND

CALLING OUT THE NAMES OF THOSE

KILLED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT.

WILSON HAS BEEN ALONG EFFORTS

TO DEFUND THE POLICE.

>> IT SHOULD BE ON FUNDING THE

POLICE ON BETTER TRAINING.

>> Reporter: TROY LEWIS REMINDS

PEOPLE WHAT IT MIGHT BE LIKE

WITHOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT.

>> LIKE MAD MAX OUT HERE

WITHOUT POLICE AND PROTECTION.

ANYBODY CAN DO WHATEVER THEY

WANT.

>> Reporter: ADAM OWENS, WRAL

NEWS, RALEIGH.

>>> WE SO AM ADDITIONAL DETAIL

TO SHARE WITH YOU.

THE FACEBOOK PAGE BACK THE BLUE

NC GAINED NEARLY 2,000 NEW

MEMBERS IN JUST THE LAST WEEK.