That was followed by a registration drive at Liberty Square, and then a rally and protest against worldwide corporate greed at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza opposite the United Nations.
There have been a number of small clashes and arrests as the marchers made their way north from lower Manhattan to Union Square.
On Canal Street, protesters clashed with police, resulting in numerous arrests.
The demonstrators marched from Zuccotti Park to Union Square, morphing their message of economic inequality with anger over alleged police brutality.
And along the way things got ugly. The NYPD isn't saying how many people were arrested, but we saw at least a dozen being taken away.
"There are some cops who are good and a lot of cops who are bad and all of the cops take orders, which are bad, which is why we're saying today that Ray Kelly has got to go," said one protester, Joe Sharkey.
At Union Square, protesters organized and spoke out against the police department.
At the same time, an army of officers patrolled the area, with backup from the bike patrol and a helicopter hovering above.
"I watched a man get thrown on the ground by the cops and got his head stomped on," said another activist, Jen Waller.
She says a big part of the "Occupy" movement is now about highlighting police brutality.
Asked whether some of the protesters are out of control, she responded, "I'd say there are people in the world who are out of control. My experience with Occupy Wall Street for the last six months is that this is a group that is passionate, polite and well meaning people."
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