Hundreds Of Protesters Depart Chicago; Dwindling Number Keeps Marching

CHICAGO (CBS) – Hundreds of protesters who converged on Chicago for the weekend NATO summit got on buses Monday evening to go home.

Buses lined up near Belmont Avenue and the lakefront to take Occupy movement members to their out-of-state destinations.

That was a relief to demonstration-weary Chicagoans who observed countless confrontations between protesters and police, including a violent skirmish near McCormick Place Sunday.

Not all protesters left. Dozens continued marching through the downtown late into the evening Monday – under the watchful eye of police officers -- capping a day of demonstrations at military contractor Boeing and President Obama's re-election campaign headquarters.

They were all drawn to the city for a two-day NATO conference. World leaders met with President Obama to talk about the pullout of troops from Afghanistan in 2014.

Among the complaints of demonstrators: Resources spent on war would be better spent on social services, healthcare and education.

The group Occupy Chicago coordinated many of the weekend's protest activities, but not all demonstrators were affiliated with the Occupy movement. An organized march Sunday drew an estimated 3,000 participants from different organizations.

The style of protesters ranged from peaceful to confrontational to humorous. One demonstrator marching through the Loop Monday taunted police by dangling a doughnut on a string as officers walked alongside protesters.

Chicago police arrested dozens over the course of the weekend.