Turnout at L.A. immigration rally about half of what was expected

Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck estimated that about 50,000 immigration rights activists participated in Saturday’s May Day rally, about half of what police estimated earlier.

Police had anticipated a larger crowd because of the controversy surrounding the recent passage of a tough immigration law in Arizona that allows police to check the legal status of people they believe are in the state illegally.

“All this was an estimate,” Beck said when asked about the department’s earlier projection. “These are educated guesses. We were unable to tell what the event in Arizona would do, so we estimated 100,000 people.”