It was expected to be a lot bigger and a lot more raucous, but the rally yesterday- while well attended- somewhat fizzled in comparison.

I was first alerted to the protest by one of the delegates I’ve been speaking with, who forwarded me an email from the Florida Democratic Party warning delegates to be careful near the hotel because up to 20,000 protesters were expected to be nearby.

Here’s the thing with journalism- you can almost lay money on the fact that when there is an area people are supposed to stay away from, there will be journalists heading over.I’m not the mischievous “sneak in to rooms or ambush people” kind of journalist the DNC warned the volunteers about, but if there is a newsworthy event I will be there, and 20,000 people is news.

While walking along the march route before they arrived, I felt like the police were following me.Every time I looked to cross the street, all of a sudden a barricade appeared.Eventually I gave up on seeing things from the other side and settled in to see the show.

When the group began marching down the street, the first thing you could see was the significant police presence around them and leading the way.There were officers lining the street, garbage trucks blocking intersections, all guiding the group down the very specific path they were allowed to follow.Either because of the structure and police presence, or to spite it, the protesters stayed very well contained and there were few incidents to speak of.

Looking beyond the big picture, though, this rally took on a very different character than others I have seen before.Rather than being a large group of people protesting the DNC or the Democratic party or the President, it was a conglomeration of smaller groups each dedicated to a more specific cause.

Of course, there were plenty of people chanting against the President or marching against some of his policies.Many of the people I spoke with, however, didn’t care who created the change- they just wanted change.

I spent a bit of time with two people out of Baltimore, one who associated herself with the Occupy movement there.First we spoke a little about the movement, which has been present in the Jacksonville area, and then we went on to the other issues that concerned them with how things were running now.After they listed a number of complaints I asked if a Romney White House was the answer.

They gave me an emphatic no.

Similar responses from environmental groups, people concerned with corporate bailouts, and groups asking for peace.Many weren’t happy with either platform, party or candidate.

To me, this was a very interesting spin- given that the march was held at the DNC.The groups were using the venue in the hope of bringing attention to their causes, not to align with one party or the other.I guess they achieved that by me sitting here writing about it.

But that’s what I’m here for- the story, and the story in the story.

Off to find another!