Occupy Wall Street live: march on Times Square

• More than 950 protests held in over 80 countries • Protesters march on Times Square in New York • Police bar occupation of London Stock Exchange • Add your photos to the Guardian Flickr page •  Read our coverage from earlier today 1.31pm: One of the remarkable features of the Occupy movement is how it is now spreading across the world. One of the largest demonstrations today was in Spain – the Guardian’s correspondent, Giles Tremlett, has filed this dispatch from Madrid where more than 10,000 people have gathered today. Spain’s Indignados, who started the global protest movement in May, are out in some 60 cities today. I’m with at least 10,000 marchers who have gathered in the centre of Madrid at the Plaza de Cibeles. More people are arriving all the time as half a dozen different marches converge in a city where austerity measures have included cuts in teachers’ numbers. “Hands up! This is a robbery!” is one of the cries of the peaceful protest on a sunny autumn afternoon. Marchers are now heading towards the Puerta del Sol, where the global protests started with a massive spontaneous camp out on May 15. It looks like the crowd is now growing considerably. 1.28pm: Adam Gabbatt, who has been with protesters marching through Lower Manhattan today, thinks there may have been at least 1,000 and possibly 2,000 people on the march, which passed the offices of JP Morgan Chase, taking in a couple of Chase bank branches en route. (The investment bank JP Morgan Chase last year made a huge $4.6m donation to the New York city police federation, and Chase retail bank is number 1 in the foreclosures chart in the US, and is being investigated in New York for allegedly fraudulent foreclosures.) The march headed north up Broadway, making life difficult for participants of the Avon breast cancer 39.3 mile walk which is taking place today, before heading east to West Broadway, which leads up to the Washington square park destination. A student general assmbly took place there at 12 noon, and marchers will gather with their student cohorts ahead of the main event of the day – the 5pm convergence on the iconic Times Square which is being billed by organisers as an opportunity to “take Times Square”. It’s unlikely we’ll see a Zuccotti Park-esque camp springing up, but with the permanently-packed Times Square being one of the most popular tourist spots, it’ll certainly be interesting. 1.21pm: And in New York , it seems the Occupy movement is gathering strength. At one point on Thursday it seemed like it could all be over, when the owners of Zuccotti Park said they planned to clean up the plaza and prevent people from using sleeping bags and other camping gear – in effect, an eviction. The NYPD were standing by to enforce the new rules, leading to fears of an ugly confrontation. But, after intervention from, among others, New York state senator David Squadron in a late-night call to the Brookfield Properties CEO, the company backed down – and Paul Harris remarks on the protesters seem newly emboldened. Today’s march seems to show how the Occupy Wall Street movement continues to grow. Last week marchers were told to trickle up to Washington Square for a General Assembly. This week, perhaps emboldened by Friday mornings victory against eviction, they march right through lower Manhattan. The police seem very happy to just escort them. Watching them go through the wealthy TriBeCa neighbourhood it is slightly surreal to see brunching New Yorkers watch the march go by. Some wave and flash peace signs. Most just smile or look bemused. Nearly all take pics on their phone. 12.53pm: Adam Gabbatt writes: Protesters here in New York have been remarking on how the protests have spread to London and other places. 18-year-old Ethan McGarry, who had travelled down from Boston for the day. He said it was “fantastic” how the occupy movement had spread to the UK and elsewhere. “People identify with us, then hey will find reasons in their own community for action.” Lauren Zygmont had travelled from the Occupy Denver protest to New York a week ago ago. “Borders don’t matter at all,” she said. “Were all human beings, were all in this together. This is a global movement.” Dave Bonan, who was at OWS on day one, said it was “a little surreal” that the protest had spread. “I didn’t expect it to last more than 15 mins,” he said. “The fact it lasted more than a day inspired people all over the world to capitalise – no pun intended – on our success.” Bonan said the movement had spread because “folks are angrier, their wallets are getting hit now”. Asked if he had a message for protesters elsewhere in the world, he said: “Decentralized movements are mire effective than movements with leaders.” He added: “It’s good to have our brothers and sisters involved.” 12.45pm: Good afternoon and welcome to our continuing live coverage of the Occupy protests. As the focus switches from London to New York, here is a summary of events so far today. • More than 950 demonstrations against the global financial system and corporate greed are being held in more than 80 countries around the world today. Inspired by the huge rallies organised by 15-M movement in Spain and more recently Occupy Wall Street, tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets from as far afield as Seoul and Rome. • In New York Occupy Wall Street protesters have renewed their protests following yesterday’s celebrations after a planned “clean-up” of their camp in Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan was called off. A march this afternoon has taken in branches of JP Morgan Chase bank; later, there’s a plan to occupy Times Square. • In London about 1,000 protesters massed outside St Paul’s Cathedral in a bid to occupy the London Stock Exchange in the nearby Paternoster Square. But the square was closed off by police and private security and the demonstration remained focused on the steps around the cathedral after attempts to enter failed. Police moved in to contain the crowd and two people were arrested for assaults on officers. • Wikileaks founder Julian Assange addressed the crowd on the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral. He attacked a greedy and corrupt financial and political system that had united individuals from Cairo to London. Occupy Wall Street Occupy movement Occupy London United States Protest Matt Wells guardian.co.uk

Posted by on October 15, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.