Occupy protesters gather in NYC for day of action

[November 17, 2011]  NEW YORK (AP) -- About 300 people have gathered near Zuccotti Park in lower Manhattan as part of a planned nationwide protest marking two months since the Occupy Wall Street movement began.

The New York City protesters are gathering on the east side of Broadway, across the street from Zuccotti Park. Police with megaphones are ordering them to stay on the sidewalk as they begin their march toward the nearby New York Stock Exchange.

Planners have said they want to march to Wall Street to mark the date.

Demonstrators in New York City and around the country are promising mass gatherings Thursday in support of the cause.

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THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE.
AP's earlier story is below.

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Two days after the encampment that sparked the global Occupy movement was cleared by authorities, demonstrators in New York City and around the country were promising mass gatherings Thursday in support of the cause.

The day of action had been planned before the city and park owners cracked down on the encampment in Zuccotti Park in lower Manhattan, but took on added importance to the protesters 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."

Police will be on hand and transit officials were preparing to deal with a crush of people as part of the protest billed as a national day of action. 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.

Similar protests were planned around the county. 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."

It's not clear how many demonstrators would actually attend. Previous protests in New York have consisted of several hundred people.

[Associated Press]

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