Police blocked off some of the entrances into the Xcel Energy Center on Monday afternoon as thousands of protesters marched down Seventh Street in St. Paul, Minn.

Wabasha and St. Peters streets were blocked by dozens of officers in riot gear around 1 p.m. Anyone trying to walk through the blockade was quickly grabbed and dragged out.

Other streets around the Xcel Center were periodically closed throughout the morning as some groups broke off and diverted from the city approved parade route.

Witnesses reported that police used pepper spray to disperse the protesters in some locations.