We wanted to shut down business as usual. I think weve done that.
By Perry Chiaramonte & Mike Jaccarino - FoxNews.com
DEVELOPING: A New York City police officer was slashed during Thursdays Occupy Wall Street action -- and a second cop was taken to a local hospital with an eye injury-- after clashes between protesters and activists across lower Manhattan sources told FoxNews.com. Both officers are said to be in stable condition although the incident marked an escalation of tension in the uneasy give-and-take between NYPD officers charged with maintaining order and protesters determined to be heard.
The officer sustained the injury after a long day of marches and demonstrations by protesters across Manhattans Financial District. Heres what happened according to law enforcement sources.
Prompted by unknown reasons a single officer on-duty at the time waded into a mass of protesters in Zuccotti Park. Once there the officer called for back-up. Two additional officers responded to the call for help and joined the original one.
Something was thrown at eye of the original officer perhaps an irritant said law enforcement sources at the scene. Then moments later something sharp was thrown at one of other officers providing back-up causing a deep gash on this thumb the source said.
The officer hit in the eye was taken to Bellevue Hospital where his injured eye was flushed out said a law enforcement source. The second cop was taken to an as-yet unidentified local hospital where he was due to receive numerous stitches to close the gash on his hand law enforcement sources told FoxNews.com.
The movement started anew Thursday morning with far less than the anticipated 10000 activists marching on the heart of Manhattans Financial District two days after cops rousted the ragtag bunch from their encampment in nearby Zuccotti Park.
Organizers had called for 10000 to amass in lower Manhattan but the crowd appeared to be no more than one-fifth that number.
Displaced but still determined the marchers symbolically started at the now-cleared Zuccotti Park as the sun rose above Manhattan and suited squads of traders and brokers arrived for regular shifts. They headed for another symbolic destination -- the New York Stock Exchange. Roughly 100 arrests were reported to FoxNews by a law enforcement source.
The NYPD did its best to keep the protestors on the periphery of the plaza in front of the exchange cordoning off the area with metal barricades scooters and parked vans. Only a smattering of the officers wore helmeted riot gear the rest in their blue workaday attire.
But as soon as one of the many side streets leading to the Exchange in the warren-like Financial District was blocked by the NYPD the protesters resumed their march and headed for another entry point.
Blocked from access to the plaza the march effectively surrounded the outskirts.
We just encircled Wall St. Well do it all day said David Suker a protester who was among the crowd distributing copies of the Occupy Wall St. Journal.
If we dont have the park well take the streets. If we cant take Wall St. well take the side streets. Well do it all day and all week.
The emboldened horde carried signs chanted slogans like These are our streets! and We are the 99 percent! as it wended its way in a circular pattern around the NYSEs plaza.
The NYPD set up a checkpoint where NYSE employees could enter the plaza. A few hundred protesters massed there and heckled the arriving workers with chants of Shame! Shame! Shame! and Shut it down!
Some protesters blocked traffic on a roadway in the Financial District. The NYPD responded by peacefully herding the group back to the sidewalk.
The protesters appeared to number between 1000 and 2000 although they had splintered into numerous smaller groups making an accurate assessment difficult.
As the day goes on youll see more and more people especially when they start to gather at Foley Square said Kanene Holder press secretary for Occupy for Wall St. Once people (get) out of work thats when youll see more.
The NYPD herded handcuffed protesters into idling paddy wagons. Holder put the number of arrests at 35 yet a law enforcement source told Fox News the number is closer to 100.
One unfortunate who was headed to work on Long Island got accidentally enmeshed in a group of protesters--and was arrested.
I didnt do anything a handcuffed Shaun Bowlin told FoxNews.com as he awaited entry into a waiting wagon. I was walking and got caught up in the crowd. They threw me down and dragged me off. Im not even part of the protest.
Having marshaled a pittance of the planned-for protesters for Thursdays march Occupy Wall Streeters retreated with the passing of noon to familiar ground--their old haunt at Zuccotti Park--to regroup and plan their next move on the proverbial 1 percent.
There a couple hundred protesters their ranks depleted with the passing hours congregated under the wary and watchful eyes of waiting NYPD officers. Above them gray clouds gathered. Below them wet puddles soaked their besotted feet.
The day of action had been planned before the city cracked down on the encampment in Zuccotti Park but took on added significance after tents tarps and sleeping bags were cleared out early Tuesday and the granite plaza was cleaned for the first time since the group arrived more than two months ago.
We will get boots on the ground again said Rory Simpson 29 who described himself as an itinerant activist as he made signs Wednesday evening. This is not over yet.
The group announced it would rally near the New York Stock Exchange then fan out across Manhattan and head to subways before gathering downtown and marching over the Brooklyn bridge. Resist austerity. Rebuild the economy. Reclaim our democracy the group wrote in a news release.
New York City officials said they had not spoken to demonstrators but were aware of the plans.
The protesters are calling for a massive event aimed at disrupting major parts of the city Deputy Mayor Howard Wolfson said. We will be prepared for that.
Organizers say the loss of the Zuccotti Park campsite may help broaden the movement. The head of the groups finances says it will open a dialogue with organizers in other cities and take the protest to the next level.
Meanwhile police broke up camps Sunday in Portland Ore. and Monday in Oakland Calif.
A judge in New York ruled Tuesday that the protesters could return to Zuccotti but could not set up camp. Meanwhile as of 11 a.m. one protestor was calling Thursdays action a success.
I think this has far exceeded our expectations said Mark Bray. We wanted to shut down business as usual. I think weve done that. Weve certainly thrown off the routine and that is what we wanted to accomplish.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
