'We Back Blue': Hundreds rally in Napa to support law enforcement

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Thursday, June 18, 2020
'We Back Blue': Hundreds rally in Napa to support law enforcement
Wednesday night hundreds took to rallying in Napa to show their support for law enforcement in a demonstration themed "We Back Blue."

NAPA, Calif. (KGO) -- Wednesday night hundreds took to rallying in Napa to show their support for law enforcement.

A 'We Back Blue' rally was held on the 3rd Street Bridge in Napa. Counter protesters showed up but the event remained peaceful.

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"We're honoring our police and sheriff," said Marie Pulliam who waved her American flag to those driving by.

Steve Cook was there wearing a red, white, and blue face covering.

"What happened to George Floyd was wrong but to say that we're going to defund the police or eliminate them is insanity," he said.

Many others agreed with Cook. One woman said, "I am 100 percent against defunding the police I think they do a wonderful service for us so I am in support of them."

One man telling us that he believes we should be supporting those who have suffered and officers who have done a good job, "I support the police department and I also support fairness to black people too."

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Those rallying for police did have a bit of opposition. They were on one side of the 3rd Street bridge while counter protesters were on the other side.

One woman wearing a Colin Kaepernick jersey could be seen kneeling. She was part of a small crowd in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

There was one tense moment involving a man wearing an orange shirt, who yelled obscenities as he walked through the crowd of Bue Lives Matter supporters.

The disagreement was limited to words, and it didn't appears as though the man was with law enforcement supporters or those counter protesting.

Andrew Engdahl showed up in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and says he hopes the true message isn't lost, "I'm not angry I just want to make sure that we keep the focus on what's important and that's that innocent people's lives have been taken."

The crowd here in Napa though was dominated by 'We Back Blue' supporters who say they chose to have this event on Wednesday because there wasn't a Black Lives Matter rally and they wanted it to remain peaceful which it did.