Cork City Council had to abandon its meeting tonight after an anti-water charge protester refused to leave the council chamber.

Diarmaid Ó Cadhla of the People’s Convention said he was protesting at a council’s decision to remove the group’s posters advertising an anti-water-charges march.

Earlier, the group staged a sit-in and blocked access to the chamber for several hours in protest over the council’s decision.

Deputy Lord Mayor Kenneth O’Flynn, of Fianna Fáil, said they'd given the Council a list of demands which they couldn't meet as it “would involve us ignoring a piece of legislation ... when it comes to littering of the city.”

Mr O’Flynn said that the council’s scheduled meeting was then disrupted by a protestor.

“At half past five, when we have our traditional council meeting, we had one protestor plonk himself into the middle of the chamber and not allow us continue on with a democratic forum (which is)Cork City Council chamber meeting,” he said.