Protesters in Boston fight for the 99 percent

Rose Kennedy Park is covered to full capacity with tents. Cardboard signs line its pathways. Police officers stand guard just outside the entrance. New England has been occupied.

The Occupy Wall Street protests that began in New York about two weeks ago have harbored an impressive amount of attention, and the movement of the 99 percent has gained momentum. Similar protests have sprung up in major cities around the country, and there are currently about a thousand people residing in tents in Rose Kennedy Park in the heart of Boston's Financial District trying to keep the protests alive and growing.

"We've been here since September 30th," said a young woman working at the Boston movement, "and personally, I'll stay for as long as it takes for things to change."

The protesters are peaceful. They've set up a small community in the park, provide free food and drinks, free legal services and consultations, and will find space to accommodate as many newcomers as possible. In the evenings, all one thousand gather at the back of the park and hold group meetings.

Early on Tuesday morning, though, the Boston Police Department became involved. Protesters tried to expand beyond the limits of Rose Kennedy, onto the sidewalks, and the crowd faced "severe brutality" from officers, as expressed by one young man who had been involved with police. Over 100 protesters were arrested.

On Tuesday evening, the crowd gathered again at the back of the park to discuss the happenings of the morning and to allow those who were arrested to share their experiences.

One young man got shoved so hard that he lost his glasses. A Vietnam veteran carrying a ‘Vets for Peace' flag was bombarded by a line of "very big" policemen while he was linked arms with a young woman holding an American flag. Most spent all night and morning in jail.

"I was in a cold cell with no food for 13 hours!" shouted one young man who was particularly agitated by his experience. "Shame on the Boston Police Department… and shame on Mayor Menino for breaking up our peaceful protests!"

Four of the protesters who suffered force from the police officers were medics on the scene. One was reported to have been helping someone who was having an asthma attack while he was pushed to the ground, said a colleague of his who spoke to the crowd on Tuesday evening. Still, the medic addressing the crowd made it clear that he and his colleagues were "not intimidated" and assured them that "when you guys are marching into the trenches, we'll [the medics] be right there behind you!"

All of the protesters that were arrested on Tuesday morning were released by that afternoon. But not all cases were dropped. What the protesters don't understand is why they were arrested in the first place and why some cases were dropped while others were not. The protesters maintain that theirs is a peaceful and lawful protest, and that the arrests made on Tuesday morning were a violation of their basic rights.

"We did nothing to provoke the police," said a speaker at the gathering on Tuesday evening, who spoke with conviction when she asserted that the police have the protesters under film surveillance at all times, and that therein lays proof of the crowd's physical passivity.

After a night of distraction and chaos, the protest group is talking about how to get back on track and what to do next to carry on the movement. Many seem to be staying put, as on Tuesday evening the staff was rushing to help everyone waterproof their tents for the anticipated rain. Meanwhile, the movement continues to gather attention, heavy media coverage, and momentum, in Boston and across the nation.