'Philly is Baltimore' rally planned for Thursday outside City Hall Jeff Gammage, Inquirer Staff Writer Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Tanya Brown-Dickerson, mother of Brandon Tate Brown, held a news conference at Dilworth Park at City Hall on Wednesday. She and her attorney, Brian Mildenberg (right), filed a lawsuit against the city for the alleged wrongful shooting death of her son. ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ

Organizers expect a "Philly is Baltimore" protest to draw at least 1,000 people to City Hall on Thursday.

The goal, said Deandra Jefferson, a Temple University student and leader of the Philadelphia Coalition for Racial, Economic, and Legal (REAL) Justice, is to support protesters in Baltimore and speak out against police violence."Under the right conditions, Philadelphia could be a Baltimore," Jefferson said. "It's something we need to talk about. It's not just a Baltimore issue. It's a nationwide issue."The rally, set for 4:30 p.m. at 15th and Market streets, asks Philadelphians to "stand with the people of Baltimore who are rising up against racist police brutality and the murder of Freddie Gray," according to a statement from REAL Justice.

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