More than 400 people came to Nelson Park to show their support for area law enforcement.
The park is about four miles from the scene of a riot that took place on May 30, following the death of Minneapolis resident George Floyd, who died at the hands of a former police officer during an arrest attempt.
Today’s rally was peaceful, with attendees holding U.S. flags, hugging, and cheering for conservatives who rallied the crowd before marching to the Prince William County courthouse.
“We need people who are willing to fight back and change the narrative,” said Alicia Andrews, Republican candidate for Virginia’s 10th Congressional District, a seat now held by Democrat Jennifer Wexton. “I stand proudly, here with you, for the men and women who, every day, to the right thing — defending our streets.
Andrews says the suspension of a Fairfax County police officer following a traffic stop, where the officer notified U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers that the person he stopped was suspected of being in the U.S. illegally, was one of the catalysts that drove her to campaign for the seat.
Former Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman At-large Corey Stewart attended the rally. Stewart has kept a low profile since leaving the office on December 31, 2019.
Dion Alexander, an activist who spoke at multiple Stewart rallies during his run for Virginia governor in 2017, spoke today in Manassas.
“A lot of black people will say ‘why are you out there defending the blue?” said Alexander, who is black.
Alexander told the crowd that he grew up living with his grandmother in an impoverished neighborhood that the police ignored.
“Imagine my grandmother being elderly, being afraid to call the police because we knew they weren’t coming. It wasn’t the police officer’s fault, just like it’s not the police officer’s fault why black men are getting shot,” he added.
The “Back the Blue” rally comes after weeks of protests in our area in the wake of the death of George Floyd. Over the past month, thousands have taken to the streets in our region to protest what they call police brutality.
The June 16 meeting of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors focused largely on race relations, as the elected governing body passed a resolution stating “black lives matter,” which mirrors the name of the organized group of protestors marching across the U.S.
Saturday’s rally comes after similar rallies held in Napa, Calif. and Washington, D.C. by the organizing group “We Back Blue.” The group has additional rallies planned for tomorrow in Fredericksburg, and in Baltimore on July 4.
