A horse had to be ejected from the foyer of Dublin Corporation's civic offices yesterday following a demonstration by Dublin horseowners in the city-centre.
Damage was caused to emergency and fire doors and the main entrance to the Wood Quay building during the incident, a spokeswoman for Dublin Corporation confirmed.
Three youths and one adult were arrested under the Breach of the Peace Act during the latest protest by owners over the impounding of horses under new licensing laws.
Up to 40 youths gained entry to the civic offices through the main entrance on Fishamble Street after forcing doors which had been locked by staff inside the foyer.
Gardai who had been monitoring the protest throughout the afternoon then moved in to eject the horse and the youths who were in the foyer. According to a spokesman at the Garda Press Office, the protesters were in the building "for no more than 15 minutes".
The three youths and an adult who were arrested were later released without charge.
A spokeswoman for Dublin Corporation said the protesters had been "ejected quite quickly".
The demonstration began at 1 p.m. yesterday when protesters and their horses converged on the city-centre. They went along O'Connell Street and on to Leinster House, where the Dail was sitting.
At no stage in this part of the protest did gardai have to intervene, as they "kept genuinely on the move", according to the Garda.
Protesters plan to return to Dublin Corporation offices today to hand in letters of protest to the city manager, Mr John Fitzgerald, and assistant city manager, Mr Philip Maguire.
A letter of protest had been submitted last week and a reply was sent, according to a spokeswoman for Dublin Corporation.