Hundreds of protestors took to the streets of Delhi on Thursday against the Citizenship Amendment Act. Dozens of them – including Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav, lawyer Prashant Bhushan, activist Harsh Mander, and Left leaders D Raja, Sitaram Yechury, Nilotpal Basu and Brinda Karat – were detained earlier in the morning from the area near Red Fort as the police imposed prohibitory orders banning large gatherings.

The administration shut down 19 metro stations at one point to prevent demonstrators from joining two planned protests – one was planned by students and activists near Red Fort, and the other by the Left near Mandi House. A demonstration was also held at Jantar Mantar from 3 pm.

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The Delhi Police issued an order to block communication of all kinds – voice calls, SMSes and internet – from 9 am to 1 pm in the walled city areas of north and central districts, Mandi House, Seelampur, Jaffrabad, Mustafabad, Jamia Nagar, Shaheen Bagh and Bawana, PTI reported. The order was issued to service providers Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea, Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited.

Traffic congestion was reported from several areas because of police barricades. On the Delhi-Gurugram road, at one point of time vehicles were lined up for as long as 10 km as the police looked to regulate the entry of protestors to the city, PTI reported. Many people missed their flights because of heavy traffic on National Highway 8 and MG Road.

Here are some photographs from today’s protests:

A demonstration against the Citizenship Amendment Act held in Delhi on Thursday. "Our voice is stronger than your batons," reads the placard held aloft. (Photo credit: Sajjad Hussain/AFP)
A protestor at Jantar Mantar holds up a placard with Union Home Minister Amit Shah's photo and a tongue-in-cheek comment – "Normalcy has reached Delhi". (Photo credit: Scroll Staff)
A scene from the demonstrations at Jantar Mantar. (Photo credit: Scroll Staff)
A demonstrator at Jantar Mantar. (Photo credit: Scroll Staff)
A placard with the slogan "Queers against a climate of fear" held up at Jantar Mantar. (Photo credit: Scroll Staff)
The police stand ready with a water cannon. (Photo credit: Scroll Staff)
Protestors at Jantar Mantar. (Photo credit: Scroll Staff)
A number of people expressed concern about the state of democracy. "Is this the India our freedom fighters died for?" asked a person who joined the demonstrations at Jantar Mantar. (Photo credit: Scroll Staff)
Protestors at the anti-Citizenship Act demonstration at Jantar Mantar. (Photo credit: Scroll Staff)
Muslim protestors pray amidst demonstrations in the national Capital. (Photo credit: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters)
Swaraj India leader and academic Yogendra Yadav being detained during a protest near Red Fort on Thursday morning. (Photo credit: Adnan Abidi/Reuters)
Some protestors also criticised the state of the Indian media. A scene from the Jantar Mantar protest. (Photo credit: Scroll Staff)
A protestor at a demonstration in Delhi. (Photo credit: Sajjad Hussain/AFP)
An anti-fascist slogan on display at the protest at Jantar Mantar. (Photo credit: Scroll Staff)
A protestor takes a dig at BJP governments at the Centre and Assam for shutting down internet services because of widespread protests. "Digital India with no internet", reads the placard. (Photo credit: Scroll Staff)