Hundreds of Occupy protesters have been stopped by police from marching to the gates of the Democratic National Convention. After a brief standoff outside the Charlotte Convention Center, a few blocks from the Time Warner Arena where Vice President Joe Biden was speaking, the protesters began the march back to their camp at Marshall Park.

A heavy police presence, including personnel carriers and helicopters, surrounded the protesters and re-directed them away from the event. Protest organisers said eight activists were arrested earlier in the day at a demonstration at an energy company. There were no arrests or violence at the convention march.