USA TODAY STAFF

Opening day of the Democratic National Convention was busy inside and outside, where protesters gathered to rally for a variety of causes in the heat and rain.

'Can't do it alone'

Jamal Laghjichi, 28, of Levittown, Pa., huddled under the FDR pavilion, waiting for the pouring rain to stop so he could get to the Jill Stein rally.

"It's disappointing how many Bernie supporters just left because of rain," Laghjichi says. "He can't do it alone."

"It's going to be a three major party election," says Laghjichi, who supports Stein, especially because of her environmental stance.

"The media is dumbing our generation down on purpose in order to take us away from the real problem, which is our future," he says. Laghjichi thinks that Hillary Clinton orchestrated the Orlando Pulse nightclub shootings and "that it will all come out."

Laghjichi volunteered with Jill Stein to help clean up after the rally.

"Trump and Hillary - it's pretty obvious that they are friends," Laghjichi said. Even with Benghazi - Hillary gets away with everything."

Standing alone

As Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein prepared to take the stage in FDR park, just across Broad street from Wells Fargo Arena, Ryan Kelly marched along in solitude, waving a sign supporting Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson.

Kelly concedes Johnson's free market ideology wasn't getting the warmest reception among the ardent progressives assembled for Stein's speech, but the 19-year-old nevertheless decided to voice support for his presidential choice.

Kelly said he's struggled to find compatriots, but linked up with a handful of Johnson supporters earlier in the day. Still, Kelly remained positive and said he would continue to spread Johnson's message in the remaining convention days.

"It's freedom. It's the ability to do what I want." Kelly said.

The Philadelphia native said he doesn't worry that a third-party candidate will siphon votes away from Hillary Clinton and tee up a Trump presidency, but he declined to explain his reasoning.

This is the first presidential election since Kelly became eligible to vote. For him, the libertarian ethos makes sense, especially at a time when he feels the government is too burdensome.

"Now that I've turned 18, I have to listen to a new dad -- the government," he said.

Young protester

As protestors streamed by holding signs advocating for lax marijuana laws, a $15 minimum wage and campaign finance reform, Doug Daub and his 3-year-old daughter, Isla, perched on a bicycle in the intersection of Pattison and Broad streets, taking it all in.

"I feel like its an important event," said Daub, 35. "We are at a turning point."

Daub has lived in south Philadelphia for 12 years and decided his daughter should see the democratic process at work. He said he didn't worry too much about endangering his daughter by coming so close to the demonstrations.

"The protestors aren't here to fight anyone. They just want to be heard." Daub said.

Keeping the peace

Tensions ran high on Broad Street on Monday afternoon, but John Williams kept the peace.

Williams, 23, of Benton, Kentucky, stood between marchers and anti-protesters, making sure Bernie Sanders supporters continued their march.

"While we're leading a peaceful march, people get antagonized and pulled into the rhetoric, violence and stuff," Williams said. "They're looking for a response."

Williams said he wanted to show that the anti-protesters' words couldn't bother the marchers, but he also wanted to respect their First Amendment right to free speech.

"It's a democracy," Williams said. "They're allowed to have an opinion. It may be a wrong opinion. It may be a bigoted opinion, but they're allowed to have it."

Fighting for Bernie

C.J. Petersen, 26, of Omaha, Nebraska, drove 24 hours to get here to show support for Bernie Sanders.

"I am a gay man, and I want a president who stood with me from before I was born," Petersen said, holding a sign at a protest in Philadelphia. "Bernie fought for me before I was born, I should be fighting for him here today."

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-- With reporting by Natalie DiBlasio, Thomas Vogel and Grant Miller