Police say they issued citations to 43 Occupy Chicago protesters who blocked an intersection in the city's financial district then refused to leave.

Occupy Chicago organizers say the protesters were senior citizens who were objecting to proposed cuts to Social Security, Medicare and other benefits.

They linked arms at around noon Monday at the intersection of Jackson Boulevard and Clark Street. The intersection is near banks and a federal building that houses offices for the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Police say the incident lasted about an hour, and protesters were cited for impeding the flow of traffic.