The target of the Occupy protesters was obviously the New York Stock Exchange. But as Zack Fink reports, police were determined to stop them from getting there.

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NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. -- Early Monday morning, the barricades had already been set up as police readied to keep occupiers out.

"Calm before the storm, shall we say,” one person said.

Just before the exchange opened, occupiers prepared to make their move. Then things unfolded quickly. Protesters couldn't get past the barricades on Wall Street or those on Nassau Street. Although some tried, resulting in arrest.

"We are in a terrible situation. And we need to continually draw attention to the crimes in this district. All around us," one person said.

That forced occupiers to break into smaller groups.

One person said, "Right now, we are in front of Deutsche Bank because we are hitting up different banks and protesting. For me, I am protesting the role of banks in our political system."

It's hard to say how many more Occupy Wall Street demonstrations there will be or how much longer the movement will last. But one thing is for sure, at least according to supporters, it's already had an enormous influence on the public debate.

"You see it everywhere, people talking about 99 percent,” one person said. “You didn't see that before Occupy Wall Street."

"You wouldn't be out here if we hadn't changed the conversation," another person said.

It's still too early to tell what kind of effect Occupy Wall Street will have, if any, in the November election. But many demonstrators feel satisfied that their voices continue to be heard.