Animal welfare charity My Lovely Horse Rescue has strongly condemned the use of horses in the violent protests at Citywest, Dublin, where horses were brought into crowds—some ridden bareback and others pulling sulkies—as tools of intimidation. The protests, sparked by an alleged sexual assault nearby, turned violent on the second day, resulting in five people being charged after attacks on gardaí with missiles and fireworks. The charity expressed deep concern over the risks posed to both people and animals, criticizing the lawlessness and cruelty of riding horses through public spaces and highlighting weak enforcement of the Control of Horses Act.

In response to the ongoing issues, My Lovely Horse Rescue has called for a coordinated, multi-agency approach to address horse-related abuses and public safety concerns. They plan to convene and chair Ireland’s first national Multi-Agency Working Group to tackle these problems, with the group’s Terms of Reference set to be published soon, aiming to fill the gap left by the absence of a designated state body.