Photos: Demonstrators, Attendees Gear up for GOP Debate on Oakland University Campus

The wind picked up and large, dark clouds covered the sky over the Rochester area Wednesday afternoon as the eight Republican candidates blew into town Wednesday afternoon and evening for their debate at .

As audience members lined up for their tickets to tonight's debate, demonstrators from the Occupy Wall Street/Detroit movement and others started to gather in the fenced off field designated as the "Free Speech" zone.

Joe Michnuk and his daughter, Jacquie Pichet of Dearborn Heights, were among the first demonstrators to arrive. Pichet said she'd participated in the Occupy Wall Street and Occupy Detroit demonstrations and wanted to have her voice heard at OU, too.

"We came here to take a stand against these candidates," Pichet said. "They're not taking a stand on the real issues."

> Complete coverage of the GOP debate at Oakland University  

If you have photos from the debate or demonstration scene, feel free to upload them here or email to Beth.Valone@Patch.com