During the evening of May 2, it is estimated that as many as 68,000 Sakdalistas convened at prearranged locations in order to march on several municipalities. They expected the police to throw down their weapons as allies, but were instead greeted with intentional rifle fire. "The Washington Post" reported that there had been 69 deaths by noon on May 3, and more than 1,000 protesters had been arrested. The rebellion had been immediately crushed, and the organizers of the protest went into hiding. The scale of the demonstration was impressive, but not nearly large nor effective enough to overthrow a nation of twelve million people, especially one backed firmly by the United States of America.