'Back the Blue' rally held in Northeast Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - At a 'Back the Blue 'rally tonight in Northeast Philadelphia the FOP was hoping to send a message to the community and local officials. It was a packed house at the FOP Lodge Number 5.

"My husband, son, father are all police or retired police officers so I'm here to 'Back the blue,'" Kelly Rycek said.

The gathering was organized by FOP leaders who are asking to stop the release of police officers names in officer-involved shootings. This after comes an event last week when crowds assembled outside of a police officer's home threatening the officer and his family.

"Part of the precipitating factor was last week when the officers house was involved in a protest That's just not right in our mind. There needs to be protections for the officer and that's why we are here," Rycek said.

Police officers, their families and members of the community say they joined tonight in a solidarity movement to say that all lives matter right now.

"If you try to condemn the whole police department for something that one person did or screwed up. It ain't fair. We have one of the finest police departments in the country," Larry Gerrard, a retired homicide detective, said.