Irish Water protests: Loud snap heard as protester pushed to ground by gardai

Footage has emerged showing tensions on the capital’s main thoroughfare as water protesters clashed with gardai following the organised peaceful protest against water charges on Wednesday.

In the video, the loud snap, believed to the man’s arm, can be heard as he falls to the ground.

Tensions were high as gardai attempted to clear O’Connell Bridge of protesters after a group of approximately 1,000 people broke out from the main protest in Merrion Square.

The group had first congregated on O’Connell Bridge at approximately 3pm.

Chaotic scenes were captured on camera as darkness fell, with gardai attempting to move the protesters.

One man in a dark jacket can be seen approaching a group of gardai before one of them turns and pushes the man to the ground.

The man is helped up from the ground by a fellow protester and attempts to move towards gardai again, before a separate garda pushes him away.

Meanwhile, the snap can be heard as another man can be seen pushed to the ground in the foreground of the video. Four protesters rush to pick him up before the video is cut.