One Dubliner has described the horror of seeing children as young as 11, attacking swans at the Grand Canal on Bank Holiday Sunday.
She said that a "group of kids from the area were throwing stones at the swans" at the Grand Canal Docks.
She added that the group became extremely abusive when she advised them to stop.
The eye-witness said that she didn't call the Gardai although she considered it after they began to threaten people at the dock as well.
She said: "These children are no more than 11-years-old.
"They started on a man and his partner too who also asked them to stop.
"They didn’t care what they said to them and actually squared up to them on numerous occasions. It was just shocking, they had no respect at all."
Another witness said that she too saw the group throwing stones at the swans while also throwing stones at each other.
Claire Humphreys said: "They were very young and there was a very big group of them.
Another worried local said: "That's all I'm hearing of late is kids terrorising animals and people.
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"Even though they are just kids once in a group, it can be very intimidating and threatening."
Dublin Live has contacted Gardai about the incident.
