Screengrab from TimCast on UStream

In case you thought the Occupy Movement had somehow vanished during the cold but relatively brief Winter, Occupy Wall Street protesters returned in force Saturday to familiar locales, apparently determined to make sure we knew they were still around and still D.T. P. (Down To Protest).

The Times reported early Saturday night that protesters "embarked upon a winding march" which led to a few arrests in and around the original home of the protest, Zuccotti Park.

The Times also noted Saturday's action was familiar:

In several respects, the march on Saturday was similar to the inaugural one. The crowd was on the small side but spirited and marched past the bronze sculpture of a bull at Bowling Green, which had served as a mustering spot for the first march. The marchers were accompanied by police officers on foot and on scooters who at one point blocked access to Wall Street, just as they did on Sept. 17...

Around 8 p.m. on Saturday a text went out stating "Liberty Square is being RE-OCCUPIED! 500+ people and growing! Come on down! Bring blankets & food!"

There was a brief celebrity appearance by Michael Moore, who endured some heckling from the assembly over his personal wealth. Code Pink, "a women-initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement" dedicated to ending United States-sponsored war and occupation was also in evidence.

500+ RE-OCCUPYING LIBERTY SQUARE RIGHT NOW! JOIN US! #OWS #SPRING

— Occupy Wall Street (@OccupyWallSt) March 18, 2012

The crowd appeared to grow throughout the night, as evidenced by live footage broadcast over journalist Tim Pool's UStream page. Mr. Pool aired a "human mic" invoking calls for a "general strike" as well as an instance of a form of "direct action"--protesters linking arms and charging across Liberty Square at a full run.

Waves of marchers continued to fill the park well into the night. Around 10:30 p.m. it looked as though some protesters were attempting to set up tents as chants such as "We are not leaving" and "Occupy the food supply" rippled through the crowd.

Mr. Pool's jittery stream provided a chaotic look at an Occupy action from the inside and also raised questions for many not that familiar with the Occupy movement and associated variations in protest actions. Questions such as: what does the ominous term "Black Bloc" mean and is it really part of the Occupy movement?

The question about "Black Bloc" protesters referred to Mr. Pool's own (surprisingly coherent, considering he was constantly on the move) narrative of the march, in which he made a few references to "warnings" about "Black Block protesters" and prompted worried tweets and comments from viewers of his channel. Here is Wikipedia's general answer as to the meaning of "Black Bloc":

A black bloc is a tactic for protests and marches, whereby individuals wear black clothing, scarves, ski masks, motorcycle helmets with padding, or other face-concealing items.[...] The clothing is used to avoid being identified, and to, theoretically, appear as one large mass, promoting solidarity.

Black Bloc protests first came about in the 80s in Europe and were a part of the anti-World Trade Organization demonstrations in Seattle in 1999. Protest techniques are disruptive and volatile. They include rioting, vandalism and fighting as well as assistance to fellow protesters in fleeing police. These techniques are probably why many who casually mention Black Bloc protests online often include the word, "anarchists."

In some instances Black Bloc protesters may actually be cops, as demonstrated by the Quebec police who went undercover during protests there in 2007.

Is Black Bloc protesting a part of OWS? The consensus from Twitter users who appear to support OWS is no. However the Occupy movement's flagship website may have essentially invited Black Bloc-style protest with its announcement about today's actions, titled "Solidarity Sunday--Wear Black Fight Back":

Yesterday, Occupy Oakland moved to convert a vacant building into a community center to provide education, medical, and housing services for the 99%. Police responded with tear gas, rubber bullets, beanbag rounds and mass arrests. The state has compounded its policy of callous indifference with a ruthless display of violent repression. The Occupy movement will respond, as we have always reponded: with an overwhelming show of collective resistance. Today, we take to the streets. Across the country, we will demonstrate our resolve to overcome repression and continue to build a better world grounded in love and solidarity for one another. All eyes on all Occupies.

SOLIDARITY SUNDAY starts at 7 p.m. EST, Sunday, January 29. Check your local Occupation for convergence points.

Other solidarity protests were scheduled to occur in cities such as Boston, Philadelphia, DC, Chicago and Los Angeles, to name a few. Until 9:30 p.m. ET Sunday night the New York protest seemed relatively peaceful--right up to the moment Tim Pool was struck from behind and his camera knocked to the ground. Pool seemed uninjured and continued narrating the protest, calling the person who struck him a member of "an affinity group of anarchists," which he did associate with what he'd heard about the Black Bloc.

[Timcast on UStream]