LA May Day Rally Update

The FBI will investigate the LAPD's conduct in firing rubber bullets to disperse the crowd at the end of Tuesday's immigration rally, and everybody is doing their best to distance themselves from the incident and show that they're doing something about it.

Authorities have launched several investigations into the Police Department's actions at Tuesday's rally at MacArthur Park, where police fired 240 rubber bullets. Video images of the incident were broadcast worldwide.

"I was very disturbed by what I saw," (LA Mayor Antonio) Villaraigosa told reporters in Mexico City on Thursday.

The FBI said Thursday it would open an inquiry into whether the officers' conduct violated citizens' civil rights.

Prior to the FBI announcement, Police Chief William J. Bratton had said he would inquire whether an FBI probe was possible.

"I have no issues with the FBI coming in ... and taking a look at it," he said.

The FBI probe is the fourth official investigation of the incident. The Police Department opened two investigations almost immediately after the violence, one to create an "after-action report" that evaluates planning and operations, and another by internal affairs to probe complaints against officers.

The mayor even left Mexico early to deal with the public relations fallout. See, he means business!

The LAPD doesn't exactly have a sterling record with regard to police brutality, and the tensions inherent in that kind of scenario, with a few agitators on one side and an armed force on the other, with the addition of the emotional nature of the immigration debate, made this more possible. Investigations are nice, but this kind of thing happens because of training and rules of engagement. I guarantee you that the police officers didn't do anything wrong in the eyes of their superiors, and that's the problem.