Occupy Philadelphia protesters gather at police HQ

Occupy Philadelphia protesters gathered for a general assembly Wednesday evening outside Police Headquarters at Eighth and Race Streets.

About 100 protesters marched to the police building from Rittenhouse Square late Wednesday afternoon.

The group had collected at the square to talk about the early morning eviction of Occupy Philadelphia demonstrators from City Hall's Dilworth Plaza. Some made allegations of police abuse. Others spoke optimistically of the future and the Occupy movement's next chapter.

Their next step was a parade to protest the arrests of 52 Occupy protesters early Wednesday.

As a vuvuzela whined and groaned, the protesters set out from the park chanting: "We are still here! We are still here!"

Marchers headed up 18th Street to Market Street as they made their way toward Police Headquarters.

Justin Murphy, 25, of Fishtown, one of about 100 protesters who gathered Wednesday night in Franklin Square, near the police building, and munched on trail mix, pretzels, and granola bars.

"The next step is to keep growing and help bring people in from the most disadvantaged communities," Murphy said.

Murphy said he believes Occupy Philly should consider holding future encampments in foreclosed homes in the city in neighborhoods such as Mount Airy.

He said Occupy Philly needs to have more and improved communication with regional and national Occupy groups.

Evan Hoffman, 28, of West Philadelphia, an independent disc jockey, said: "We need to take steps to be innovative and creative in getting new people in the movement."

Hoffman said Occupy Philadelphia should be based more on "joy" and become a more universal movement. "We want to make this world better. This isn't an egotistical movement. It's about community and speaking the truth to the world."

Lex Myers, 18, of from West Kensington, said she was part of the march early Wednesday morning through Center City near the Walnut Street area of Rittenhouse Square.

She said she was in the front of the march and as police attempted to block the group from entering the square, "one cop repeatedly hit me [with a bicycle] in my knees, shins, and ankles." She said the officer tried to push her back as 50 other protesters marched behind her. During the march, Myers said, another officer elbowed her in the chest.

Later Wednesday evening, Occupy Philly participants awaited the release of their fellow activists and listened to David Harvey, a professor at City University of New York and prominent critic of capitalism.