Occupy Detroit Protesters Plan March Today

Occupy Detroit, a grassroots group formed out of the national "Occupy Wall Street" movement, has planned a march in downtown Detroit today to coincide with other marches planned nationwide. 

Participants will gather at 4 p.m. today at the Spirit of Detroit statue at Jefferson and Woodward and will march together to Grand Circus Park at 6 p.m., according to the group's website.

A forum post on the website says the group plans to occupy the area "indefinitely." The forum poster says it will be a peaceful demonstration.

The "Occupy" movements seek political, social and economic change. Some of the Detroit-specific issues members of the group have mentioned on their website include, "housing foreclosures, basic lack of good food in Detroit (food security), recent troubles with Detroit Public Schools, lack of response from City of Detroit and Lansing."

Organizers are encouraging people to attend through the group's Facebook page, which has been "liked" by more than 5,000 people. 

A Facebook event page created for the protest says nearly 4,000 people are planning on attending.

Other "Occupy" events being held this weekend include marches in New York, San Francisco and Milwaukee.

In Michigan, events will be held in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and Flint this weekend. An Occupy Ann Arbor event was held last week, and an event is planned for Oct. 22 in Brighton.