Protesters are herded to one area of the circle, on the sidewalk in front of the National Opera House, which was heavily fortified in case anyone felt like breaking a whole lot of glass. This created a high-pressure area where cops and students faced off in a kind of energized stalemate for nearly two hours. Initially, it was a little scary; as the crowd was compressed it became a agitated, with some protesters pushing back against the police line as it approached, some screaming and yelling and a few bottles flying. 
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