Phoenix is preparing to get occupied.

The grass-roots social-agitation movement that has spread from Wall Street to other cities will land in downtown Phoenix, with non-violence workshops and a pre-occupation march leading up to the ongoing demonstration that's scheduled to start Oct. 15.

The metro Phoenix events are based on the vanguard Occupy Wall Street movement in lower Manhattan that has railed against social inequality, government-austerity plans, the rich-poor divide and corporate greed, centered on banks, mortgage firms and insurance companies.

The movement started in earnest about a month ago and has spread through social-media channels, such as Facebook and Twitter. It has received labor-union endorsements, with a clenched fist emerging as its main symbol.

A posting on the Occupy Phoenix website referenced the Arab Spring uprisings and European Summer demonstrations in Greece and other nations.

"As fall approaches, many wondered if there would be an American Autumn," reads a message on the website, occupyphoenix.net. "Today we stand by and watch the protest in #occupywallstreet with hungering eyes and hope. It is our time to rise, Arizona!"

Occupy Phoenix plans to hold its "general assembly" demonstration at noon Oct. 15 at Cesar Chavez Plaza in downtown Phoenix. The "pre-occupation" march will start at 3 p.m. on Oct. 14 at 424 N. Central Ave. and proceed south to Cesar Chavez Plaza.

In other cities, dozens of protesters have been arrested and some injuries reported.

Messages to Occupy Phoenix contacts, via phone and e-mail, were not immediately returned.

The non-violence workshops will include lectures and role-playing and stress non-violence "as a way of life and as a strategy to deal with conflict," while also encouraging social change, said Nick Katkevich, a trainer at another group, Phoenix Nonviolence TruthForce, who will lead the free workshops for Occupy Phoenix.

Katkevich said he was asked to lead the workshops by organizers of Occupy Phoenix after attending a meeting of the latter group that attracted roughly 100 people earlier this week.

"It's interesting how it all sprang up," Katkevich said. "It's an eclectic group of people not organized by any institution."

The first non-violence workshop was held Thursday at the Phoenix offices of the Service Employees International Union, with two Saturday workshops slated for the Westside Community Center in Tempe and a sign-making event Sunday at Steele Indian School Park in Phoenix.

Don Carr, state director of the Service Employees International Union, said his group supports Occupy Phoenix.

"We're in favor of free speech, non-violence and putting pressure in support of government policies to create jobs instead of talking about cuts all the time," he said.

Carr said he and other members of the SEIU would participate in the Occupy Phoenix demonstrations in downtown Phoenix.

An estimated 100 protesters staged a rally Thursday before a bank in downtown Los Angeles staged by a sibling group, Occupy L.A.

Katkevich, a graduate student in labor studies who also joined Occupy Phoenix, said he was invited to New York and Washington, D.C., to lead non-violence workshops for protesters at those locations.

Reach the reporter at russ.wiles@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8616.