BBC News with Gaenor Howells

Protests against what's perceived as corporate greed and economic mismanagement have been taking place around the world. Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in European cities. Police in Rome fired tear gas to disperse protesters, who'd smashed bank and shop windows. Some 70 people were reported injured. The protests were inspired by weeks of continuing anti-Wall Street demonstrations in North America. Marcus George is following events in Washington DC.

We've had several hundred protesters under a campaign called Occupy DC. They've been marching in the downtown area, and they joined a rally for jobs and justice, which was led by activists and union leaders, to directly pressure Congress into passing legislation to create more jobs across the country.

At the Washington rally, the activist Reverend Jesse Jackson told the BBC the poorest people were suffering most in the economic crisis.

"Too few have too much; too many have nothing. The extremes of unrestricted wealth and greed is[are] driving poverty. People have lost their homes - because of bankster - the haven they've lost. They've lost their jobs. It's time now for a restructuring of our economic order."