Crowd In South Philadelphia Guards Christopher Columbus Statue

Matt Petrillo reports.

TONIGHT AT 10.STANDING GUARD TO PROTECT ACONTROVERSIAL STATUE IN SOUTHPHILADELPHIA.HOW THEY'RE TRYING TO THWARTVANDALS.THIS COMES AFTER A DAY OFPROTEST ON WHAT WE WILL BEPHILADELPHIA POLICEHEADQUARTERS.♪♪THESE MU SITIONZ SENDING AMESSAGE OF UNITY IN HOPE OFHEALING A COMMUNITY.GOOD EVENING, I'M JOE HOLDENDOZENS ARE STANDING GUARD ATTHE BASE OF A STATUE IN SOUTHPHILADELPHIA AAND THEIREFFORTS TO SPARE IT FROM BEINGTORN DOWN.MATT PETRILLO IS LIVE IN SOUTHPHILADELPHIA WITH WHAT BROUGHTOUT THAT CROWD, MATT.Reporter: WELL, JOE, THEREWAS STILL A LARGE GROUP BEHINDME GUARDING THAT CHRISTOPHERCOLUMBUS STATUE IN SOUTHTHERE LOOKS TO BE ABOUT 50PEOPLE.EARLIER TODAY THERE WAS DOUBLETHAT NUMBER.TAKE A LOOK OF VIDEO FROM THISAFTERNOON.WE FOUND SOME WITH BASEBALLBATS AND OTHER'S CARRYING GUPZAND WHILE THIS WAS HAPPENTHERE WAS PEACEFUL PROTESTS INANOTHER PART OF PHILLY.3,000 FILLED NORTH BROADOUTSIDE OF WHAT WILL BECOMETHE NEW HEAD AQUARTERS OF THEPHILADELPHIA POLICE DEPARTMENTIN THE CITY SPRING GARDENSECTION.MANY CALLING ON CITY LEADERSTO PARTIALLY DEFUND THE POLICEDEPARTMENT.I DON'T THINK THE POLICEFORCE SHOULD BE ABOLISHED ITHINK FUND AND SERVICES THEYARE BEING REQUIRED TO PROVIDESHOULD BE PUT IN BERT PLACES.LIKE SCHOOL, HEALTHCARE.POLICE DON'T OFFER SOCIALSERVICES.IF YOU KNOW THERE'S A DOMESTICDISPUTE YOU DON'T NEED POLICEOFFICERS TO SHOW UP AND MAKEIT WORSE.PROTESTERS MARCHED FROMNORTH BROAD TO CITYPHILADELPHIA HALL AND THEN TOMARKET STREET SOME HOLDINGSIGNS THAT SAY THIS IS AREVOLT AGAINST RACISM.MEANTIME APPLAUSE HERUTTED FOR A COUPLE THAT SAIDDO IN FRONT OF AUDIENCE OFTHOUSANDS.AND AS THAT WAS HAPPENING.EVERYTHING WE'RE PAINTINGIS OF PEACE AND LOVE.A GROUP PAINTING MURALS ONTHE PHILADELPHIA'S RUNNER'SSTORE IN RIPT HOUSE SQUAREWITH THE HOPE TO SPREADBROTHERLY LOVE AND SISTERLYAFFECTION AND THE GROUP ISCALLED WALLS FOR JUSTICE.WE WORK WITH COMMUNITYMEMBERS AND BUSINESS OWNERS TOSEND A MESSAGE OF SOLIDARITYTO THE COMMUNITY.AND BACK HERE IN MARCONYPLAZA MANY TELL US THEY'LL BEHERE ALL NIGHT TO GUARD THECHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS STATUEAND THEY WANT TO SEND AMESSAAGE TO MR MAYOR JIM KENNYTHAT SAYS THEY DON'T WANT THE