Home News archive Hunt Saboteurs Beat Living Crap out of Gamekeeper, Hunt Saboteur Assaults Horse - Fact and Fiction Blurred?
Hunt Saboteurs Beat Living Crap out of Gamekeeper, Hunt Saboteur Assaults Horse - Fact and Fiction Blurred? PDF Print E-mail

HSA news release 16th November 2003

Hunt Saboteurs Beat Living Crap out of Gamekeeper, Hunt Saboteur Assaults Horse - Fact and Fiction Blurred?

These were the headlines and mentions we attracted on the BBC and elsewhere this week. One was as a result of a press release put out by the Countryside Alliance (CA) yesterday, and reported through various outlets including the BBC and Teletext, the other was the slanderous reference to us in Radio 4's 'The Archers' after gamekeeper Greg Turner got a beating supposedly by 'a group of sabs'. The fictional element is a strong feature of both in our view.

How likely does it sound to anyone who knows what Hunt Saboteurs actually do (rather than what the Countryside Alliance tell the media we do) that a sab has assaulted a horse? Also, to anyone knowing the history of the Ashford Valley foxhunt and their methods of 'deterring' sabs, the fact that a sab was arrested for allegedly assaulting a hunt supporter will raise an eyebrow or two (although given the past relationship between the hunt and the police, maybe it won't). When a hunt that regularly enlists 5 or more 4x4's full of roving thugs to deal with saboteurs has to allege that they suffered an assault, that's got to be embarrassing.

One interesting aspect of the CA release was that it managed to make the news at all when all the other previous outbreaks of violence at hunts this year have somehow not appeared in the media. They did involve huntsmen and supporters nearly killing sabs - but then, is that news any more?

Now that we have hit the headlines in this way, maybe a journalist might like to look into the truth (shock horror!) of what happens to Hunt Saboteurs when they try to stop hunts from killing. You don't have to follow the polite lines you normally use when contacting hunts to get their sanitised view of hunting with dogs, here are some helpful tips:

  • just buy a camo jacket at your local army surplus store,
  • put on some clothes that you don't mind getting muddy or ripped on brambles and barbed wire,
  • get out of your nice warm 4x4 and into a field near a hunt,
  • shout a little or try to blow a hunting horn and generally act like you think a sab might
  • ...then see what happens when the hunt and their followers or the police come over for a 'chat'.
    •

If and when you get out of the hospital / police cells drop us a line letting us know how sorry you are for believing the lies and rubbish put out by the our opponents, your colleagues in the media and the police.


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Last Updated on Sunday, 06 February 2011 15:08
 
 

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Hunt breaches own Code of Conduct and attacks protestors

HSA news release 12th November 2002

Hunt breaches own Code of Conduct and attacks protestors

Hunt saboteurs in Surrey told today how they were attacked by riders and a gang of terriermen and hunt stewards at the Surrey Union Hunt as they tried to stop them killing foxes. 3 saboteurs attended the meet at Capel nr Dorking today (12 November) and used hunting horns and 'gizmo' to prevent the hunt from chasing foxes.

After initial success in stopping the hunt from killing, the hunt saboteurs reported that:

  • 2 'disorientated' foxes were ripped apart after an unusually short chase (draw your own conclusions)
  • A saboteur was assaulted and had her hunting horn stolen by a hunt steward
  • Riders deliberately rode into the saboteurs
  • Riders and hunt stewards threatened the saboteurs throughout the day
  • A saboteur who managed to grab the carcass of one of the foxes was rugby tackled and assaulted by hunt stewards sustaining injuries to his face
  • A saboteur with a camera was assaulted to try and prevent photos being taken of the assault and she sustained injuries to her leg
  • An attempt was made to steal a 'gizmo' from a saboteur. She had to climb a tree to prevent the hunt seizing the device used to call hounds away from foxes
  • Hunt members surrounded woods to prevent foxes from escaping - a practice known as 'holding up' - usually practiced during Cub Hunting

Hunt Saboteurs Association (HSA) spokesperson Nathan Brown said "The hunt were ruthless and underhand in their pursuit of foxes today and equally arrogant in their attacks on protestors. On Saturday approximately 20 police officers - including two mounted on horses - were present to stop 5 saboteurs saving animals' lives. There were only 25 riders out on Saturday, almost one officer per hunt rider, a fortnight earlier there were over 40 police - all there to aid the hunt. When our members were attacked, as usual there was no sign of the police who always make the claim to be protecting and upholding the rights of both sides. The victims have no faith in Surrey Police and on past experience, feel that no action will be taken if they report the incidents to them."

The saboteurs feel the action of the hunt clearly breached the Master of Foxhounds Association "Code of Conduct" which states that they should only hunt "..the fox in its wild and natural state" and that "Confrontation with saboteurs should be avoided whenever possible" (i.e. not attacking them). The Code also states that 'Holding up' should only be carried out during 'Autumn Hunting' not in the full season.