‘Back the Blue’ Rally Held in Chehalis on Saturday

Posted

Community members gathered in Chehalis to show their support for law enforcement at a “Back the Blue” rally — attendees cited the Seattle city council’s recent decision to cut the police department’s budget and the resignation of Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best as the events that prompted the rally. 

“I support the boys in blue — they’re our front line defense if we are in danger,” said Napavine citizen William Christin at the rally on Saturday. “With all the bad news going around — with police stations getting defunded and chiefs resigning from positions — I just feel like they need our support now more than ever.”

The rally was held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the corner of NW Chamber Way and NW Louisiana Ave., near Walmart, in Chehalis from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. There were about 30 people of all ages in attendance — many waving flags at passing cars as they received honks of support. People held signs that read “I Back the Blue” and “Police Lives Matter.” 

County Commissioner Edna Fund, who is up for reelection this year, was in attendance and said that she wanted it to be clear that she wasn’t there for campaign purposes and she was only there to show her support.

“I think we need to be knowledgeable about what’s going on in our country and we need to be supportive of one another and it’s a tough time. We want folks to have rational discussions. We don’t want pointing fingers at one another,” Fund said.

The organizer of the event said she preferred to remain anonymous for privacy reasons. She said that the rally is a spin-off of a group located in Seattle and this is their first event.



Jackie Lester from Adna, holding an “I Back the Blue” sign, said that she heard about the rally via Facebook and decided to attend because she supports law enforcement. She said that she recently read about the defunding of the police in Seattle and felt it was “stupid.” 

Olga Miller from Napavine attended the rally and was waving a U.S. flag.

“I support our local law enforcement and all law enforcement. I think in times like this we need to show our support so that’s why I’m here,” she said.

Miller said that she feels that in Lewis County the police are being supported but not as much nationwide and in larger cities such as Seattle and Portland.