RALEIGH - North Carolina Republicans answered the Moral Monday protests from the left at the General Assembly with a "Thankful Tuesday" event of their own. Several hundred people were part of the event on Halifax Mall.

NC GOP vice-chair Joyce Krawiec says the rally was about thanking lawmakers for their efforts to push through change. “I know they’ve heard a lot from the other side…and we just want them to know that they’re elected, they’re doing what we elected them to do, and we’re just very proud of them.”

Krawiec says in addition to the rally, they also wanted to do some one on one meetings. She says many people took time off from work during their lunch hour to visit with lawmakers to let them know there are those who are supporting what's being done at the General Assembly.

Some 800 people have been arrested in protests that have been taking place mostly on Mondays for several months, but Krawiec says the groups that were part of Tuesday's event had no plans to do things that would lead to legal action.