LAPD says crowd at immigrant rights rally is orderly and may be much smaller than anticipated

May 1, 2010 | 12:19 pm

Los Angeles police officials said the size of the crowd at Saturday's immigrant rights rally downtown may be significantly less than the anticipated 100,000 people.

But police were reluctant to give an early estimate of the number of demonstrators, who are voicing their protests about a tough new immigration law in Arizona that allows police to check the legal status of people they believe are in the state illegally.

LAPD Cmdr. Andy Smith said that so far there have been no arrests and no reports of injuries at the rally. He said the entire department was on full deployment.

Smith said some officers were working at their divisions and would be called upon should the march get out of hand. A ground force of uniform officers on foot, bicycles and motorcycles, as well as in plain clothes, were making patrols.

"We have a strong contingency of officers surrounding the march," Smith said. " So far everyone's doing a good job of policing themselves."

-- Ruben Vives and Andrew Blankstein

Photo: Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony joins hands with others in leading the May Day rally in downtown Los Angeles. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

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