HOUSTON – Several protesters associated with Occupy movements across Texas were arrested near the Port of Houston on Monday.
Occupy Houston protesters were joined by protesters from Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and Fort Worth near the Port of Houston's executive offices on the East Loop Monday afternoon.
About two dozen protesters connected themselves with PVC pipes to block the road leading to the Port of Houston's main entrance.
Firefighters were called in to cut the PVC pipe off the protesters. They put a tent up over the protesters to block sparks.
Police said they took about 20 people into custody. Officials have not said what charges they will face.
The protesters managed to delay three trucks and two cars that were on the ramp when the protest began. Other truck traffic was diverted to another entrance until the protest was cleared.
Occupy Houston officials said Occupy movements across the country are targeting the nation's ports. The goal is to shut down or slow port operations.
"We're here in solidarity with our brother and sisters on the west coast who initiated port shutdowns today," Occupy Houston organizer Dustin Phipps said.
There were also demonstrations in Oakland, Calif., Portland and Longview, Wa.
"We're standing here in solidarity with the Occupy movement around the country, said Rev. Ellen Cooper Davis of Northwood Universalist Church. "We see the movements as a voice of the people, people that don't have a voice."
"There are so many of us and all the money and all the wealth is caught up in one percent of the population," protester Jessica Dicampli said.