Far from Oakland University's Athletics Center O'Rena, the site of Wednesday's presidential debate, far from the satellite trucks shining the spotlight on that debate, the circus was in town.

More than one hundred Ron Paul supporters marched across the street from the O'Rena before the debate with signs and slogans handy.

Meanwhile, a new "Occupy" movement was forming inside a fenced-in "free speech zone" set up for demonstrators Wednesday night about a football field away from the O'Rena.

"I think they're giving us freedom of speech, but not freedom to be heard," said Ashley Krebs, a member of Oakland University's chapter of Gamma Phi Beta sorority. "It's disappointing, it's like they don't trust us to be close enough."

A little more than an hour before the debate, protestors appeared to become fed up with the pen, spilling out in front of it and sitting down on the hillside. Demonstrators ended up closer, but still a street away from the debate site itself, blocked by a line of police officers.

A bitter wind whipped protestors and yanked signs from some hands, drowning out the chants and drumbeats from the small crowd.

Only 60 Oakland University students were given tickets to Wednesday's debate, out of approximately 1400 available, something that frustrated at least some students.

"I pay $20,000 a year in tuition and I'm stuck out here in the wind and cold," said Gordon Krupsky, a senior music major.

It was unclear as of late Wednesday night if any arrests had been made.