Occupy Wall Street protesters fanned out across the country today in a series of May Day rallies aimed at reinvigorating the movement, which went mostly into hibernation this past winter. So far, protesters have taken to the streets in New York, San Francisco, Chicago and dozens of other U.S. cities. There are reports of several arrests in New York City.
In the past, Occupy protesters have criticized the power of the nation's banking system. And one statistic that got our attention today shows just how much money these institutions hold. According to a Bloomberg News report, the five big banks held a combined $8.5 trillion in assets at the end of last year, equal to about 56% of the U.S. economy.
On the show today, Alex and the panel discussed where Occupy goes from here. A recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll suggests that the movement may have lost a lot of its momentum. Fifty-one percent say it has run its course.