By Anna Pratt and Paul Demko

Early in the day protesters were joking with the riot police.

This group of anarchists, many of them wearing masks, refused to speak with reporters. Occassionally they would pause in the parade route, allow the marchers ahead to separate themselves and then sprint forward as a group down the road.

As the afternoon dragged on tensions increased. Shortly after 2:30 a phalanx of cops on bikes and motorcycles followed a group of roughly two dozen protesters down Sibley Street.

One person was taken to the ground by a trio of cops and arrested.

The encounter came to a standstill at the intersection of Sibley and 4th streets. Protesters locked arms and refused to budge. The cops kept silent guard.

Another individual was arrested at Sibley and John Ireland Boulevard.

This parking garage, at the corner of Wall and Sixth streets, is being used a temporary holding facility to process protesters who are arrested.