Violence Breaks Out During ‘Occupy Wall Street’ March Toward New York Stock Exchange
Protesters, apparently jubilant over being able to stay in the park after their furious cleanup efforts, took their brooms, flags and signs and started fanning out at around 7:30 a.m.
1010 WINS’ Steve Sandberg reported the protesters were saying things to the effect that now that they’d cleaned up the park, they were going to clean up Wall Street.
A New York City police officer shoves a demonstrator affiliated with the Occupy Wall Street protests as they march through the streets in the Wall St. area, Friday, Oct. 14, 2011 in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
LISTEN: 1010 WINS’ Steve Sandberg was there when a peaceful march turned violent
A group of protesters headed south on Broadway toward the New York Stock Exchange, carrying their brooms. Police were taken off-guard, Sandberg reported. The group swelled quickly and wound up in a confrontation with police as they tried to gain access to Wall Street. The standoff occurred near Bowling Green as they turned left on Beaver Street.
Police urged protesters to stay out of the street and stay on the sidewalk.
New York City police officers runs over a Legal Aid Society observer as Occupy Wall Street demonstrators march through the streets near Wall Street, Friday, Oct. 14, 2011. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
Police scooters were shaped like a V and moved toward the protesters in the standoff. One man lost his balance, and was run over by a police scooter.
“He was just walking and the cop ran him over,” one witness said.
Protesters chanted “The whole world is watching” during the arrests.
WCBS 880′s Alex Silverman On The Arrests That Followed Elation
Police descended on the protester and got him out from under the bike. Some witnesses tell Sandberg the man was beaten during the arrest.
GRAPHIC VIDEO WARNING: PROTESTER RUN OVER
“We had somebody knock over a scooter, there were some arrests here — I don’t know what the charges were — there were people in the street the police officer was trying to get them out of the street, this was down near the exchange,” New York City Police Department’s Deputy Commissioner of Public Information Paul Browne said.
Photos: Protesters, Police Clash | Zuccotti Park Occupied | Celebs At Occupation
Sandberg reported police clashed with some protesters, wielding their night sticks and batons.
First Precinct Commander Ed Winski checked a protester who refused to stay on the sidewalk. When the protester came back into the street, Winski hurled his megaphone down and wound up rolling around in the street with the protester, throwing punches. Other officers surrounded the two, throwing punches. The protester was arrested.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if he threw down his megaphone in order to help make an arrest,” Browne said.
Police say the protesters were throwing bottles and bags of garbage at officers, triggering the police response, Sandberg reported. Police say they were trying to control the situation when it got out of hand.
At least a dozen demonstrators were arrested, mostly for ignoring police commands, CBS 2′s Dave Carlin reported.
Many of the protesters wound up circling back and returning to Zuccotti Park, Sandberg reported.
VIEW VIDEOS