A four-hour anti-poverty protest outside the Republican National Convention in St. Paul ended with police using flash grenades, smoke bombs and tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Police reported three arrests before the crowd was forced away from the downtown area. Seven additional arrests happened in the clash that followed.

More than 2,000 protesters rallied with the event organizers, the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign.

The national organizer for the group, Cheri Honkala, told the protesters she would "march to the steps of the Xcel Center to serve the Republicans with a citizen's arrest."

Honkala's group believes the government fails to do enough to support the poor and homeless in America. Honkala shared the story of her 6-year-old son who was told recently that he was not eligible for government support to fight a problem with his vision.

"When I found out, I just sat in my van and cried," Honkala said, choking back tears.

The group marched a winding 4½-mile path through St. Paul to the Xcel Energy Center, where RNC delegates were gathered. As the protesters marched, hundreds of people joined their rally, including those gathered for a concert that failed to happen near the state Capitol.

The march ended outside two panels of fencing that surrounded parts of the Xcel Center.

Honkala challenged the protesters to remain peaceful as she tried to deliver the citizen's arrest. A small group of supporters lifted her to their shoulders as they tried unsuccessfully to enter the fenced area.

Other protesters then started a standoff with about 20 police in riot gear. The remainder of the protesters retreated from the Xcel Center area. As they did, hundreds of police in riot gear stood arm to arm to form a route away from St. Paul's downtown.

Protesters refused to leave the area, at times taunting officers in riot gear. Police issued a final warning to leave the area before firing the smoke bombs and grenades.

Tuesday's protest came a day after more than 280 people were arrested in violence after an anti-war protest.

Meanwhile, inside the Xcel Energy Center, speeches and videos proceeded without any hint of disruption. Few had any idea of the protests and clash with law enforcement happening outside.

Russ Walker, a delegate from Oregon, arrived at 5:30 p.m. and did see a few protesters on his way in. Fellow Oregonian Ross Marzolf did not run into any demonstrations Tuesday but said his bus was hit by demonstrators in Monday's anti-war violence.

Marzolf urged protesters to "grow up," saying that the Republicans are "acting like adults, but the protesters are goons."

Pete Saxon, an alternate delegate from California, appreciates being protected from the demonstrations because "the GOP, any group, has the right to conduct business" even though the protesters should also have the right to demonstrate peacefully away from that business.