OAKLAND — Thousands of demonstrators from the Occupy Movement have been gathering in Downtown Oakland since 9 a.m. this morning in the nation’s first general strike since 1946, with many marching through the streets chanting and displaying signs expressing anti-capitalist sentiments.

The general strike — centered at the intersection of 14th Street and Broadway — has drawn crowds of up to 3,000 people from around the Bay Area, including Berkeley.

“I am here to represent my students and classroom for more justice in funding and a stronger voice for educators,” said Masha Albrecht, a teacher at Berkeley High School, in an interview.

Throughout the morning, speakers announced that local branches of Bank of America and Chase had closed. Shutting down other local branches of banks like Wells Fargo appeared to be the goal of the group at large.

“Tax the 1 percent? Ax the 1 percent? Abolish banks and wage slavery. Fight directly for Communism,” one sign read.

Shortly after 11 a.m, a group of around 1,000 protesters massed at 12th Street and Broadway and prepared to march, eventually joining a swelling number of protesters at 14th and Broadway. At that point the group filled the entire intersection and spilled into surrounding blocks.

At 11:15 a.m, speeches from the podium at 14th and Broadway resumed, a large banner was raised between stoplights in the intersection, and protesters were visibly more agitated and ready to take action than at any other point in the morning.

Demonstrators plan to march to the Port of Oakland at around 4 p.m. today to shut it down before the 7 p.m. work shift and stop the flow of capital into the city.

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