Mass protest movements have historically benefited when violence erupts. That sad fact has been proven again by Occupy Wall Street movement.

The unfortunate tear gassing of protestors in Manhattan not too long ago, captured on YouTube for the world to view, most likely fueled media coverage, raising awareness of the movement. We can only hope that more raw violence does not erupt on a greater scale, by either side. Sadly, we may be seeing more physical confrontations.

In Oakland, the police fired tear gas canisters at protesters and arrested more than 80, whom the police said defied their orders to disperse. In Atlanta, police arrested more than 50 protesters who refused to leave a park. This came after ministers were sent to the scene to mediate the dispute. CNN reports that police were concerned after a man at the park was spotted with a rifle.

We can only hope that cooler heads prevail. Both sides need to take a look at solutions here. The movement has grown to massive proportions. In the end, the protestors have to ask themselves what it will take for them to disperse in a way that allows them to claim a victory on behalf of the public. It's fair to say they have already raised awareness to a degree few imagined.

For more:
- here's the article

Related articles:
Class warfare rages as Occupy Wall Street protests continue   
Occupy Wall Street takes on Jamie Dimon