Occupy FW protest draws at least 300

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - What started out as a protest on the Brooklyn Bridge has grown into a nationwide movement. Saturday, police said a group of at least 300 protesters for the Occupy Fort Wayne movement showed up in downtown Fort Wayne to stand in solidarity against corporate greed.

On the Occupy Fort Wayne website , it states the protesters "stand united in solidarity with our brothers and sisters across the Globe to finally voice our opposition against corporate greed, corporate welfare, corporate personhood and all corrupt corporate money in government and politics."

After meeting around noon at One Summit Square at Calhoun and Wayne Streets in downtown Fort Wayne, complete with American flags and signs stating, "We are the 99%" and x'ed out 'greed' words, the multi-aged group moved their protest to the Courthouse green because according to one protester, it is located next to a couple of banks.

From there, they marched on to Headwaters Park for the duration of the protest.

Friday night there were rumblings those protests might start early. NewsChannel 15 was at Headwaters Park Friday night and protesters were not there. Fort Wayne police said the group does have the proper permits to stage a protest this weekend. However they do have to leave the park by 11pm Sunday night.

"We understand it's their constitutional right as is ours that we have a peaceful demonstration and if they have a right to free speech and that's fine. We encourage that,” FWFD Deputy Chief Marty Bender said.

Bender said officers will be in the park to make sure things don't get out of hand. The officers will also take steps to ensure the protestors do leave by 11pm Sunday night.