‘Occupy’ protests swell nationwide; scores arrested

New York (CNN) — Protests swelled in cities nationwide

Friday as police forces struggled to either corral or remove demonstrators from

downtown parks and plazas in the latest development of the monthlong Occupy Wall

Street movement.

Scores of protesters were arrested in Denver, Seattle, San Diego and New

York, though reports of violence were rare. CNN iReporters sent in photos and

video from “occupy” protests across several American cities.

In San Diego, CNN affiliate KFMB broadcast images of police detaining

demonstrators as they gathered amid tents and tarps strewn about a downtown

plaza.

Protesters appeared to refuse to leave the area, sitting in columns atop the

plastic tarps and yelling “stay down” as police tried to remove them from the

scene. At one point, police used pepper spray to break up the crowd.

“We understand people have a right to protest (but), somewhere along the

line, people have a right to conduct business,” San Diego Police Chief William

Lansdowne told CNN affiliate KGTV.