By Howard Packowitz

BLOOMINGTON –  A local woman staged what she called a pro-police rally outside Bloomington City Hall on Monday.

About 15 people showed up at the demonstration organized by Regina Noland of Bloomington.

She said Monday’s event outside city hall has nothing to do with race.

“People in America have a right to think the way they want to, believe what they want to, and all I want to do is stand here with a flag and a sign and say Blue Lives Matter because I support the Bloomington Police Department,” Noland said.

Black Lives Matter called for Bloomington Police Chief Brendan Heffner to denounce the event. Heffner declined comment.

Black Lives Matter claims Noland has Facebook posts that connect her with white supremacist groups.

Noland would not say if she has a Confederate Flag. She said it’s no one’s business.

“Whether I own one or not is nobody’s business, number one. Number two this, event is what it is right here, a sign and an American flag and that’s all it is,” Noland said.

About a half dozen counter demonstrators were across the street, three of them covering their face and displaying a profanity laced sign calling Blue Lives Matter participants fascists.

A Blue Lives Matter backer called them cowards for hiding their identity.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected].