Three people were arrested for public order offences during an anti-austerity protest in central Dublin yesterday.
Each of the three suffered injuries outside Leinster House. Two were pepper-sprayed by Gardaí as they tried to break through barriers on Molesworth Street while the third is believed to have injured himself on a barrier.
It was estimated more than 400 people gathered outside Dáil Éireann throughout the day. In the afternoon a small group broke away and marched towards the Central Bank, causing traffic disruptions. They later caused blockages on O'Connell Street and O'Connell Bridge.
In a statement, the group claiming to be behind the gathering say the government has "a complete lack of respect for the Irish people" and planned to use the protest to "demand members of the Oiréachtas honour the wishes of those who employ them".
A livefeed on the Occupy Earth website steamed the protest while a Facebook event page with more than 5,000 attendees remained active throughout the day.
Pictures from the event follow below.
Protesters gather outside Leinster House
A protester addresses Independent TD for Kerry South Michael Healy-Rae
A protester disrupts traffic
Protesters attempt to break down barriers on Molesworth Street
A member of An Garda Síochána pepper sprays a protester
All images © Photocall Ireland
