Stinging gas sends May Day protesters fleeing Associated Press Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 02:54 p.m., Tuesday, May 1, 2012 (AP) — Hundreds of activists across the U.S. joined the worldwide May Day protests on Tuesday, with Occupy Wall Street members in several cities leading demonstrations against major financial institutions. Crowds had blocked intersections in the city and tried to force businesses to shut down for not observing calls for a "general strike." From New York to San Francisco, organizers of the various demonstrations, strikes and acts of civil disobedience said they were not too concerned about muddling their messages. In Atlanta, about 100 people rallied outside the state Capitol, where a law targeting illegal immigration was passed last year. A coalition of bridge and bus workers said they would honor a picket line of at least 50 workers outside the ferry terminal. Across the Bay in Oakland, a group of workers, patrons and property owners clashed with a few dozen protesters who stormed a downtown diner in an attempt to shut down the restaurant. John Connors, who said he was a financial analyst, took the day off, as well as his shirt, revealing a chest with the words, "Black Hole of Finance," painted on it. Paul Browne, the police department's chief spokesman, said recently that the department was experienced at accommodating lawful protests and responding appropriately to anyone who engages in unlawful activity.