Reclaim the Streets (RTS), the global network of groups behind Monday's anti-capitalist protest in Dublin city-centre, describes itself as a "non-hierarchial, leaderless, openly-organised public group".
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Mr Joe Carolan, who participated in the demonstration, said that the group was in favour of returning privatised space to the public arena.
"On Monday we took back one street for one afternoon to help us imagine what the city without cars could be like. We brought actors, acrobats, performers, musicians, dancers, body-painters and children to create a community space where normally there are cars and trucks belching out pollution," he said.
"No individual plans or masterminds the group's actions and events," he continued. "RTS activities are the result of voluntary unpaid co-operative efforts from numerous self-directed people attempting to work equally together. When asked 'Who's in charge?', we reply in unison: 'We all are'."
Among the Irish groups who take part in RTS activities are Globalise Resistance, the Workers' Solidarity Movement and a number of environmental organisations. In recent months, RTS has organised events in Barcelona, Seattle, Sydney and Brussels with traffic-stopping street parties similar to that seen in Dublin on Monday.