Demonstrations after water protesters jailed

The jailing of five water charge protesters sparked demonstrations last night with supporters bringing a part of Dublin city centre to a rush hour standstill following the High Court’s decision.

Four men and a woman were given sentences of between 28 and 56 days after being found to be in contempt of an earlier court order prohibiting them from blocking the installation of water meters.

Following the ruling, supporters of the jailed people staged protests in Dublin, blocking traffic for a time. An estimated 200 people then marched from O’Connell St to Mountjoy Prison before dispersing before 8pm.