Philly Supporters Return Home From Dueling D.C. Rallies

Groups from the Philadelphia area returned home from attending dueling rallies in Washington, D.C. Saturday night.

Conservative commentator Glenn Beck and tea party champion Sarah Palin appealed Saturday to a vast, predominantly white crowd on the National Mall to help restore traditional American values and honor Martin Luther King's message.

Reverend Al Sharpton and other civil rights leaders who accused the group of hijacking King's legacy held their own rally and march.

About nine busloads of National Action Network supporters traveled to Sharpton’s "Reclaim the Dream" rally. Speakers addressed everything from education to voting to ending gun-violence.

“The trip was historical. It was so moving; all we saw was a sea of our people in front of us and in back of us. This one for me was nothing like the last one,” Sultan Ashley-Shah said.

The Independence Hall Tea party tells NBC Philadelphia about 1,500 people traveled to Beck’s “Restoring Honor” rally.

While Beck billed his event as nonpolitical, conservative activists from around the nation said their show of strength was a clear sign that they can swing elections across the country and much of the country is angry with what many voters call an out-of-touch Washington.

Palin told the tens of thousands who stretched from the marble steps of the Lincoln Memorial to the grass of the Washington Monument that calls to transform the country weren't enough.

Palin said “We must restore America and restore her honor,” echoing the name of the rally, “Restoring Honor.”

A Washington emergency official says a few people were taken to the hospital for medical conditions and about 100 people were treated for various minor medical issues during the two large rallies.

Organizers claim at least 500,000 people attended the rallies.