Yesterday between 121 and 200 protesters were arrested when a peaceful march of approximately 2,000 headed to Union Square to spread the word about their occupation for emancipation from a corrupt economic and financial system. The events made news in many national MSM publications.

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LINK: Don't Stop - 13 Things You Can Do to Support OWS NOW!

Yesterday between 121 and 200 protesters were arrested when a peaceful march of approximately 2,000 headed to Union Square to spread the word about their occupation for emancipation from a corrupt economic and financial system.  The events made news in many national MSM publications.

Box Score:

OWS Protesters Arrested: 121 - 200 (?)

Wall Street Banksters Arrested: 0

Those who participated in the march uptown describe NYPD actions to stop their progress with police cars and metal barricades.   At each check-point the marchers simply changed directions or went around and even over the obstacles.

At one point, approaching Union Square, the NYPD cut the protesters off and made a mass arrest of some 90 or more marchers.   Other marchers were arrested when, penned in a distance away, they began chanting, "Let them go!" bringing the total to over 100.

Video shows brutal arrests involving netting numbers of protesters and the use of pepper spray to subdue others.   Police sources said the arrests were mainly for obstructing traffic.

Occupy Wall Street's efforts to locate those arrested took hours.  

Associated Press later reported "about 80 people have been arrested as demonstrators who were camped out near the New York Stock Exchange marched through lower Manhattan."

Earlier, an unsigned eviction notice had been circulated at Liberty Plaza a.ka. Zuccotti Park the center of the occupation.

Police also began a ban on umbrellas, sleeping bags, camping equipment and bicycles on top of their previous ban on tents and tarps.  (What's next raincoats, ponchos and shoes?)

The events of the day brought tensions and emotions at Liberty Plaza to a peak.  

Police then increased their presence bringing in three arrest buses, stationing higher numbers of police around the perimeter of the plaza, and parking numbers of police cars on the blocks leading to the plaza by 7:00 p.m.

A decision was made that marchers would be sent to One Police Plaza to demand information and necessary medical care for those arrested.

Rumors spread that the police were preparing for another mass arrest this time at Liberty Plaza.   One police officer told a protester that the march uptown went over the line.

Facilitators of the General Assembly instructed the approximately 4,000 in the plaza on what to do if arrested, pepper sprayed or tear gassed.   Some participates then made a decision to leave the park.   A large majority stayed.  

By 9:00 musicians arrive, their music cutting the tension and the atmosphere became jubilant.   Occupiers danced, ordered pizza, made plans, brought in equipment, called for first aid supplies and waited.

Candle "lights of peace" were lit around the park.   More and more protesters arrived back at Liberty Plaza, several thousand by 10:00 p.m.   The occupation was prepared with high intensity lights to keep streaming video should the NYPD move in.

At 10:30 p.m. the occupiers received copies of the early edition of the Daily News - page one: It's Wall Street.  The New York Times was also to publish a front page story on the occupation of Wall Street.

Word came at 10:40 that a number of protesters arrested earlier in the day were released and were returning to Liberty Plaza.

Late last night NYPD banned open flames (candles).

Numbers Can Lie: Commentary

A quick word about numbers: As I mentioned yesterday, OWS isn't a 10 block march.   It isn't a 3 hour rally.   It's not just a day long march/rally, it ain't no Woodstock.   It is a 24/7 occupation.

This morning, Saturday September 24th, the Recovery Walk took place in Philadelphia.  The organizers had a good estimate of how many would march.  Each recovery organization told them how many of their workers, volunteers and program members to expect.  

I must say the 15,000 marchers looked quite impressive in their color coordinated t-shirts, a different color for each organization taking part.

The march took approximately 30 minutes (I am being very generous on the time here) to pass my observation point on Walnut Street.   Add to that a generous 90 minutes of set-up time.    Here's the math: 15,000 people times 2 hours = 30,000 people hours.

So now we have an "apples to apples" metric to measure the people participation in any type of feet on the street event:   People Power Hours (PPH).   (See Mom and Dad, my MBA is not going to waste.)

Here's a rough estimate of Occupy Wall Streets participation in People Power Hours.   I'm going to be conservative about all the variables.   Here's the method example for September 17 – 8:00 a.m. September 18:

Day 1: 

10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. PM Bowling Green: 2,000 x 7 hrs. = 14,000 PPH

5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Zuccotti Park Meeting: 1,000 x 5 hrs. = 5,000 PPH

10:00 p.m. - 8: a.m. 9/18/11: 100 x 10 hrs. = 1,000 PPH

Total: 20,000 PPH

At the end of Day 8 at 8:00 a.m. on September 24, 2011, I estimate Occupy Wall Street has logged 287,000 People Power Hours in NYC alone.

That's 8 two hour marches in 8 days of 20,000 people without the use of people power from existing groups.

A constant Occupation is much more powerful than any 8 separate marches.  This is just the start.

Authors Bio:
Chaz Valenza is writer and small business owner in New Jersey. He earned his MBA from New York University's Stern School of Business. His current feature film project is "Single Point Failure" an insider's account of how the Reagan Administration caused the greatest tragedy of the space age based on Richard C. Cook's book "Challenger Revealed." He is a former Director of Public Information for Planned Parenthood of NYC. His website is: www.WordsWillNever.com