TEMPE, Ariz. — Thousands of people from around the country descended on the Phoenix area Saturday as supporters and opponents of Arizona’s tough new crackdown on illegal immigration held separate rallies.
Marchers carrying signs, banners and flags from the United States and Mexico filled a 5 mile stretch of central Phoenix, demanding that the federal government refuse to cooperate with Arizona authorities trying to enforce the law.
Police declined to estimate the size of the crowd, but it appeared up to to 20,000 protesters braved 94-degree heat. Organizers had said they expected the demonstration to bring as many as 50,000 people.
Opponents of the law suspended their boycott against Arizona and bused in protesters from around the country. Some used umbrellas or cardboard signs to protect their faces from the sun. Volunteers handed out water bottles from the beds of pickup trucks, and organizers set up three water stations along the route.
About 20 people were treated for heat or fatigue-related symptoms, and seven of them were taken to a hospital, said Phoenix police spokesman Sgt. Tommy Thompson. There were no arrests or other incidents, he said.
Oklahoma: Small plane crashes, killing 2
A small plane crashed near a tiny private airstrip in northeastern Oklahoma, killing two people onboard, authorities said. Oklahoma Highway Patrol Lt. George Brown said the crash occurred just before 10 a.m. Saturday near Airman Acres Airport. Brown said the plane took off and that witnesses heard an engine stall a short time later. He said it appeared the pilot tried to land on the dirt airstrip at Airman Acres, but the plane crashed in a nearby field and caught fire. A man and a woman died in the crash but their identities have not yet been released, Brown said.
California: D.A. finds no crime around Palin contract
A district attorney has cleared a California university of intentionally destroying documents about an upcoming speech by Sarah Palin. The Stanislaus County District Attorney also found no evidence of wrongdoing by students who obtained part of Palin’s contract. The former vice presidential candidate is scheduled to give a paid speech June 25 at the California State University, Stanislaus. It is not known how much Palin will be compensated. Campus president Hamid Shirvani had accused students of stealing the contract from a recycling bin inside the office of a vice president. Two students say they found the documents in a campus trash bin.
England: Treasury minister resigns amid scandal
Britain’s Treasury minister has resigned after admitting he claimed tens of thousands of pounds from taxpayers to rent rooms in homes owned by his partner. David Laws resigned as Chief Treasury Secretary on Saturday and will be replaced by fellow Liberal Democrat Danny Alexander. Laws apologized Friday for channeling the funds to his long-term partner, James Lundie. He said he would immediately pay back the money, which the Daily Telegraph newspaper said totaled 40,000 pounds ($57,822).
Czech Republic: Vote leaves unclear who will lead next
It was not clear Sunday who will form the Czech Republic’s next government, after the left-wing Social Democrats narrowly won the country’s parliamentary election but center-right parties captured more votes overall. Results reported by the country’s election agency indicated that the Social Democrats will not be able to govern alone and may not even be able to successfully put together a new coalition. The party’s leader, former Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek, resigned after the poor showing. The Statistics Office said the Social Democrats won 22.1 percent of the vote Saturday, or 56 seats in Parliament’s 200-seat lower house. Their major rival, the conservative Civic Democratic Party, captured 20.2 percent, or 53 seats.
From Herald news services
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