NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly had some strong words for �Occupy Wall Street� protesters Thursday, blaming participants for starting skirmishes which led to more than 20 arrests on Wednesday.

�What they did is they counted.� They actually had a countdown � 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 � they grouped together, they joined arms and they charged the police. They attacked the police. They wanted to get into Wall Street, they wanted to occupy Wall Street,� Kelly told reporters.

Kelly said that if demonstrators targeted the police, authorities would respond with �force.�

�They�re going to be met with force when they do that � this is just common sense,� he said.

The commissioner said protesters were told to stay within the barricades that police had erected and when they crossed over them they began hassling the cops.

�These people wanted to have confrontation with the police for whatever reason.� Somehow, I guess it works to their purposes,� Kelly said.

The commissioner told reporters that the protests have cost the city about $2 million in overtime for officers assigned to cover the demonstrations.

Despite the clashes and arrests, Kelly stressed that as long as protesters followed the rules, there would be no issues.

�We are accommodating peaceful protests.� We are proud of the fact that we do that in this city. People are going to be here for an extended period of time. We�re going to accommodate them as long as they do it peacefully and in accordance with the laws and regulations,� he said.

(Source: WCBSTV)