An 82-year-old woman was the first to be arrested at the Occupy Los Angeles "National Day of Action" protest in downtown L.A, Neon Tommy's Paige Brettingen reported from the scene. According to Brettingen, those arrested at the scene have been applauded by the crowd, chanting: "this is what democracy looks like." Protesters were warned prior by police that there would be arrests at the scene. According to the Brettingen, about 23 arrests have been made thus far.

The "National Day of Action" events in Los Angeles kicked off early Thursday morning with a march through L.A.'s financial district as demonstrators attempted to shut down streets during the morning rush hour. The gathering began at the Bank of America Plaza at 7 a.m. Marchers peacefully made their way to 4th and Figueroa. The arrests were made after a group of protesters sat down in the street.

Brettingen reported around 10:20 am that Figeuroa street was re-opening.

The Associated Press reported: "The group, chiefly a coalition of labor unions, gathered between the Bank of America tower and Wells Fargo Plaza, chanting "Banks got bailed out, we got sold out." The protesters then marched several blocks and occupied an intersection, where police finally declared an unlawful assembly.

Some of the marchers were carrying tents--a nod, perhaps, to the raids earlier in the week on Occupy encampments in New York, Oakland and other cities around the country.

Occupy protesters are planning another march through downtown. The group tweeted: "Meet at City Hall at 11:30 for another march! #Nov17 #OWS." The march reportedly will begin around noon. 

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