NEW YORK, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- After more than three weeks of the "Occupy Wall Street" financial inequity protests in New York, demonstrators have taken to a second city park, police said.
The populist protest that has no apparent leader began 23 days ago in Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan. Saturday, about 1,000 marchers split away from the financial district and marched peacefully to Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village, The New York Times reported Sunday.
Protester Max Fox, 23, told the newspaper the movement was evolving and growing.
"This Saturday is interesting because now there are two parks holding protests," he said. "It shows we can partially divide and still have significant presence in two parts of the city."
The dissent from the U.S. financial capital has spread nationwide, with similar protests popping up in scores of cities including Boston Chicago, Houston, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
The movement has also brought out political divisions, with billionaire New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg saying "some (complaints) are legit, some aren't," CNN reported.
President Barack Obama has been cautious in acknowledgement of the protests, but said he recognizes "broad-based frustration."
Meanwhile, U.S. House Republican Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia derided the movement as being one of "growing mobs" who were "pitting ... Americans against Americans," CNN said.
The demonstrations have taken on international status, with rallies planned Saturday in Canada's financial capital, Toronto, as well as Vancouver and Calgary, Alberta.
