Scott Olsen, wounded vet, becomes rallying call for Occupy protesters

An Iraq war veteran seriously injured during a crackdown on protests in Oakland, Scott Olsen, has become a rallying call for demonstrators in California and across the United States.

A clash with police in Oakland Tuesday night left Olsen, 24, in critical condition with a fractured skull, the Associated Press reports.

More from GlobalPost: Occupy Oakland plots next move

The veteran activist group Iraq Veterans Against the War has accused police officers of throwing an object that hit Olsen and cracked his skull. Police have promised to investigate the incident.

"It's unfortunate it happened. I wish that it didn't happen. Our goal, obviously, isn't to cause injury to anyone," Police Chief Howard Jordan said at a news conference, as reported in the AP.

A spokesman for Oakland's Highland Hospital has said Olsen remains in critical condition.

The Guardian reports that an independent police review body will look into Tuesday night's clashes between officers and demonstrators.

"A source at the Oakland citizen's police review board said it had not yet received a formal complaint, but would be 'looking into' the circumstances surrounding Olsen's injuries. The board will decide whether to launch an official investigation over the next couple of days," it states.

Demonstrators marched Wednesday in New York to show their support for Olsen, and more protesters are expected Thursday, CNN reports. The Wednesday march led to the arrest of at least 10 people near Union Square, it states.

The New York arrests have not been the only ones.

Officials in cities across the world are telling Occupy protesters that it’s time to pack up their camps and go. And if they don’t, a growing number of mayors are calling in the police to forcibly remove them. GlobalPost has this roundup on crackdowns in cities across the world.

More from GlobalPost: OWS: Protester crackdowns are spreading