Gardaí tread softly as carnival mood takes hold in city centre

UP to 1,000 anti-car protesters caused traffic chaos in parts of Dublin yesterday as gardaí took a soft approach to a Reclaim the Streets protest.

After a street party in the centre of the city, the protesters made their way through Bank Holiday traffic for a second impromptu stop on the main route from the north.

Gardaí decided on a low-key policing plan after last year's May Day Monday disturbances, when dozens of people were arrested after clashes on Dame Street. Seven gardaí were also charged with assaults following that protest.

The organisers of Reclaim the Streets a loose grouping opposed to what is claimed to be the supremacy of cars did not ask for, or receive, permission for the demonstration.

But they were allowed to march from a meeting point at the GPO on O'Connell Street, down to pedestrian streets before stopping a short distance away. In Parnell Street, a sound system provided musical entertainment as around mostly young people danced, drank beer and cider. Some smoked cannabis as gardaí kept their distance, closing off a portion of the road.

"We are not a party, we are hear to have a party," said one reveller, adding that no one wanted any trouble like last year when groups of protesters were baton-charged by gardaí after they broke away from the main gathering and made their way onto Dame Street.

After around three hours in Parnell Street yesterday, the crowd began moving off. They moved back to the GPO, across O'Connell Street before heading down Lower Abbey Street and turning on to Amiens Street, a main arterial route from the north of the city. They were escorted by just two gardaí on bicycles.

Waves of people walked unhindered down the road against bank holiday traffic returning to the city.

At one point, they decided to take over a garage forecourt where they stopped for an impromptu party.

As a garda helicopter hovered overhead traffic was diverted away from the road. Again, gardaí made no attempt to move the crowd on, seemingly waiting for them to disperse of their own accord.

But the crowd moved back down Amiens Street towards the city centre. At the bottom of the road a large group turned into the IFSC.