Police arrest 700 anti-Wall Street protesters

POLICE reopened New York’s Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday evening after more than 700 anti-Wall Street protesters were arrested for blocking traffic lanes and attempting an unauthorised march across the span.

The arrests took place when a large group of marchers — participating in a second week of protests by the Occupy Wall Street movement — broke off from others on the bridge’s pedestrian walkway and headed across the Brooklyn-bound lanes.

“Over 700 summonses and desk appearance tickets have been issued in connection with a demonstration on the Brooklyn Bridge... warnings by police were given to protesters to stay on the pedestrian walkway, and that if they took roadway they would be arrested,” a police spokesman said.

“Some complied and took the walkway without being arrested. Others proceeded on the Brooklyn-bound vehicular roadway and were arrested.”

Most of those who were arrested were taken into custody off the bridge, issued summonses and released.

Some protesters tried to get away as officers started handcuffing members of the group. Dozens were seen handcuffed and sitting on the span as three buses were called in to take them away.

The march started about 3.30pm from the protesters’ camp in Zuccotti Park in downtown Manhattan. Members of the group have vowed to stay at the park through the winter.

In addition to what they view as excessive force and unfair treatment of minorities, the movement is also protesting against home foreclosures, high unemployment and the 2008 bailouts.

Filmmaker Michael Moore and actress Susan Sarandon have stopped by the protesters’ camp to offer their support.

On Friday evening, more than 1,000 demonstrators, held a peaceful march to police headquarters to protest what they said was a heavy-handed police response the previous week. No arrests were reported.

A week ago, police arrested about 80 members of Occupy Wall Street near the Union Square shopping district as the marchers swarmed onto oncoming traffic.

A police commander doused a handful of women with pepper spray in an incident captured on video and spread via the Internet, galvanising the loosely organised protest movement.

The group has gained support among some union members. The United Federation of Teachers and the Transport Workers Union Local 100, which has 38,000 members, are among those pledging solidarity.

The unions could provide important organisational and financial support for the largely leaderless movement.