Occupy Protests Spread Worldwide: Demonstrations Planned in 82 Countries

Plans for a day of global protest kicked off Saturday with Occupy Wall Street-style demonstrations in cities in Europe, Asia and Australia.

United for Global Change, the movement behind the push for international protest, projected 951 cities in 82 countries would be taking part in rallies worldwide, including cities in England, France, Belgium, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, Russia, South Africa and Venezuela.

In London, hundreds of protesters gathered in the city's financial district by Saturday afternoon. Police closed a subway station near where demonstrators were massing as their numbers began to overwhelm the narrow city streets, according to the Guardian.

The Associated Press reported about 5,000 people took to the streets to protest in front of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, and hundreds marched through the Bosnian city of Sarajevo carrying pictures of Che Guevara and old communist flags that read "Death to capitalism, freedom to the people."

In Rome, a band of protesters smashed shop windows and torched cars while demonstrating against both corporate greed and Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, who barely survived a confidence vote Friday.

CNN:

Australian cities of Melbourne and Sydney joined rallies against "corporate greed" as protesters aligned themselves with the global movement.

"Our protests are to show our solidarity with Occupy Wall Street and also protest various problems -- from indigenous issues in this country to government problems," said Alex Gard, one of the Melbourne organizers. "We know we have it better than the protesters in the States ... but there are still problems in this country."

Organizers urged protesters to bring sleeping bags and other soft items to sleep on.

"I've heard people say they plan to be there for days, even months," Gard said.

AFP:

Around 500 people gathered in the heart of Hong Kong's financial district to express their anger at the inequities and excesses of free-market capitalism, while demonstrators in Tokyo also voiced fury at the Fukushima nuclear accident.

Wong Weng-chi, a demonstrator from a group calling themselves "Left 21", said the "Occupy Central" rally in Hong Kong was more than just an act of solidarity with the Wall Street protest, which began in September.

"Hong Kong is a key financial hub in Asia, it is a base that serves many multinational financial institutions. It is a base that serves many capitalists and the upper class to monopolise the wealth," he told AFP.

Footage from worldwide Occupy protests livestreaming below:

This post will be updated as additional reports come in.