May Day rally crowds sort of a tweener

Today's May Day rally crowds in Downtown fell far short of the bar set in 2006, but were bigger than last year — and way bigger than the turnouts for local tea party or gay marriage rallies — and, hey, at least the police didn't run wild this time. Upset over the new Arizona law on illegal immigration likely raised the number of marchers, who heard from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Cardinal Roger Mahony, singer Gloria Estefan and other speakers. The closest thing to an official estimate pegged the crowd at 40,000 to 60,000, while organizers suggested it was closer to 100,000. There was a small counter-protest, and just two arrests — one each for vandalism and public drunkenness. Channel 2 slide show