A South Philadelphia rally that saw demonstrators holding signs that read “White Women’s Lives Matter” and “We Will Not Allow You to Terrorize Our Neighborhood” in response to alleged attacks by a group of black women in the neighborhood was not racially motivated, according to the chief of staff for a city councilman who attended the event.

On Tuesday, a group of 150 to 200 people including Democratic city councilman Mark Squilla gathered in South Philadelphia displaying signs that read “White women’s lives matter,” “We know who you are,” and “We will not allow you to terrorize our neighborhood.” Ostensibly, the rally was meant to protest police inaction following an attack on a group of local women. The reality may have been much uglier than that.