23 'Occupy Dallas' protesters arrested for blocking Chase bank

A group of "Occupy Dallas" protesters were arrested on Monday afternoon during a demonstration in front of a Chase Bank branch.

Twenty-three people were arrested for criminal trespassing after blocking customers from entering the bank, according to NBC DFW.

Dallas officers told the protesters that they would not be arrested if they complied with orders to remove themselves from the entrance. But the protesters locked arms and refused to leave.

Chase Bank has been targeted by "Occupy" protests around the country. The bank fired around 14,000 workers after a government bailout totaling $94.7 billion.

"We need bodies on the ground today," the group said on its Facebook page before the demonstration. "We want to send a message to these banks. You destroyed our economy, paid off politicians to help you steal our tax dollars and used them to increase your personal profits while laying off thousands of American workers."

The protesters are currently camped out at Dallas' City Hall Park. They began their demonstration October 6 in Pioneer Plaza, but decided to relocate after encountering permit troubles with members of the city council.

"Occupy Dallas" organizers told CBS 11 News they would impose a 10pm curfew and check the identification of those at the demonstration after a 14-year-old girl told police she had engaged in sexual activity with several people.

Watch video of the arrests, uploaded to YouTube, below:

Photo credit: Jen Schultes