THE anti-Wall Street protest that began in New York last month will spread to Melbourne this week, local organisers say.

Occupy Wall Street, which began as a protest against social inequality, corporate influence on democracy and the apparent absence of legal repercussions for those behind the global financial crisis in the US, encouraged protesters to camp out in Wall Street.

Police make an arrest on Wall Street during the Occupy Wall Street protest in New York. Credit:New York Times

The movement aims to hold open citizen forums and it has spread to more than 1000 cities in the US and scores of cities around the world.

Occupy Melbourne's Facebook page, which already has almost 3000 followers, says it will begin an occupation camp in the City Square next Saturday that may remain for weeks.