Hundreds marching as police stood by, ready to arrest for any infraction. And Houston was no exception. At least 12 people were arrested when the demonstrations intensified this evening.
About 300 protesters started their march Wednesday afternoon at Market Square Park. A dozen were arrested for civil disobedience as they delivered their message.
"I think in the last 30 years, I think we've been seeing a slow, gradual shift of wealth into a smaller and smaller minority, and finally people are getting fed up with it and they are taking it back, they are taking the streets back," protester Sara Farris said.
The Occupy Houston crowd joined thousands of others across the country for an international day of action.
"We need to get corporate money out of the election process. Elections should be publicly funded so we know who are politicians are actually working for," another protester said.
It was a peaceful display, but police had to keep the crowd contained and off the streets, and when they didn't comply, they were arrested.
Houston Police Chief Charles McClelland says the organizers were in contact with them and they made manpower adjustments.
"Certainly we have appreciated the cooperation that so far we have gotten from the organizers," McClelland said. "Two, from a resource standpoint, yes it has, because it's something we didn't plan for but it's something that we're always prepared for."
The protesters who were arrested were taken to the city jail.
"Obviously there were other cities where more people participated, but I thought in terms of what actually happened, this protest was very peaceful; there was no violence, nothing that anyone would regret, so I thought it went very well," said Christian Capitaine, attorney for protesters.
The protesters who were arrested were booked in the city jail. Their attorney is working to bond them out. The charge is a Class B misdemeanor for blocking a roadway or passageway.
