HOUSING PROTESTERS HAVE blocked traffic in Dublin this evening after hundreds gathered to attend a demonstration in the city centre.

More than 100 people first gathered outside a property previously occupied by the Take Back the City campaign on North Fredrick Street, following the group’s eviction from the site last night.

The demonstration was organised after six people arrested were arrested when a private security firm and gardaí removed activists from the vacant building.

The security firm and gardaí were heavily criticised today, after images shared on social media showed a number of men dressed in black and wearing balaclavas during the eviction.

It is understood that the men in balaclavas, who weren’t gardaí, were hired as private contractors by the landlords. 

They’re all sitting on O’Connell Street. Organisers want the crowd to block the street in both directions. pic.twitter.com/zL7XgBX0gw

— Sean Murray (@SeanMJourno) September 12, 2018

This evening, a number of speeches were made outside the property, before the rally moved down Parnell Square East.

It stopped stopped at the Parnell monument at the junction of Parnell Street and O’Connell Street for around 45 minutes, during which a sit-down protest was staged and both sides of O’Connell Street were blocked to traffic.

The protest later grew as it made its way to nearby Belvedere Place, where another property is being occupied by the group.

With additional reporting from Sean Murray.