New Yorkers braced for more street protests on Monday as Occupy Wall Street marked its first anniversary by attempting to blockade the New York Stock Exchange and re-energize the movement.

The social protest movement has seen a steep drop in support since it was founded a year ago, when hundreds of people camped in Zuccotti Park near Wall Street to protest bank bailouts and what they called the ruling "1 percent".

But activists promised to make a comeback on the Sept 17 anniversary, about six weeks before Americans decide whether to re-elect President Barack Obama or bring in his Republican challenger Mitt Romney.