WASHINGTON — A march and rally to show support for police officers kicks off in D.C. at noon on Saturday.
“To do something to show our police officers across the nation, really, that they’re supported and appreciated,” says Bobbie Padgett.
She’s one of three rally organizers; all of the organizers are married to local police officers. Padgett says the way the “Sea of Blue” rally came together is that organizers had enough of the negativity aimed at officers, and they decided they wanted to do something positive.
The rally begins at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. Then, the “Sea of Blue” will march to the Capitol.
Padgett says the event is all about showing support for our men and women in blue. She says it is an opportunity to say “thank you” to law enforcement officers.
“Thank you for protecting me and thank you for being out there. That’s what this is all about,” says Padgett.
If you’re heading to the rally, participants are being asked to wear something blue.
Padgett says Craig Floyd, Chairman & CEO of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, will be one of the speakers at the Capitol. Also attending, says Padgett, are survivors of police officers who’ve lost their lives.
Padgett says, “We’re excited that we’ve gotten such a large outpouring of support from everybody, we’ve heard from people all over the country. ‘What can we do to help?’ ‘When is this, we want to come?’”
She adds that Saturday’s rally isn’t a counter-protest to the Ferguson protesters, but rather, she says, it is about showing police officers they are appreciated. She says organizers are thinking about holding the rally annually.
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