Updated 9.54am
VIDEOS ARE SURFACING this morning of clashes between gardaí and water charge protesters as attempts were made to open up the city again following the mass demonstration near Leinster House yesterday.
Numbers attending the rally are unclear as gardaí say they are confident around 35,000 people were in attendance while organisers say it was closer to 100,000.
Though the majority of those taking part in the protest had left the city by late afternoon, a group of activists remained, moving towards O’Connell Street and blocking access across the bridge. Transport services reported severe delays yesterday afternoon and evening as traffic was backed up for hours.
There had been a strong garda presence all throughout the day and they moved in to clear the bridge after 7pm as seen in the video above. This video from earlier in the day also shows the large crowd assembled on Kildare Street:
Overall, the main protest was a peaceful one but gardaí told TheJournal.ie this morning that there were six arrests in relation to the protests. One woman and two men were charged and will appear in the Criminal Courts of Justice at 10.30am today.
Two other men were also charged and bailed to appear in court at a later date. A fifth man was released without charge.
A garda also sustained facial injuries in clashes outside the Dáil and a protester was taken to hospital after a car crashed into a group blocking traffic outside Liberty Hall.
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