HSA news release 19th February 2005

Violence and 'Hunting as normal' in Sussex

The Crawley and Horsham foxhunt were killing foxes 'as normal' today, just 36 hours after the hunting ban came into force.

Witnesses saw the hunt encouraging hounds in woods near Shipley, West Sussex and the hounds going into cry (hunting a scent). This comes after the intelligence was received by campaigners that hunt supporters were last night saying 'don't worry, we will be hunting as normal'.

Witnesses also saw a fox being thrown to the pack of hounds and it is thought there were several other fox carcasses in boxes on the terrierman's vehicle. Quite why a legal foxhunt still has terriermen acting for them is something we think the police should be looking into.

One person was physically attacked and monitors observing the hunt were subjected to death threats. Their van was rammed several times by hunt supporters in a 4x4 vehicle.

The hunt employed its own security guards to intimidate and threaten monitors, and were obviously considering themselves above the law.

Sussex police for reasons best known to themselves allowed the Shipley area to become a 'no-go' area and were utterly unconcerned over the vehicle ramming incident and basically ignored any violence or wrongdoing perpetrated by the hunt.

The monitors attended Durrington police station to make a complaint about their vehicle being rammed. It appears a Television crew were present in the attacked vehicle at the time of the ramming filming for Monday night's 'Tonight with Trevor MacDonald" on ITV.

This same group were victims of a premeditated attack by supporters and riders of the neighbouring Chiddingfold hunt on Thursday (17/02/05), footage of which was broadcast nationally on ITN news that evening.

Local anti-hunt campaigners are calling on national groups to get involved and take action against the Crawley and Horsham hunt when it appears the local police are prepared to do nothing to uphold public safety and the law.

ENDS

Timeline: the recent wave of violence against anti-hunt protestors since the Hunting Act was passed...

• 18 November 2004
  Parliament passes Hunting Bill. Hunting to be illegal on 19th February.
• 20 November
  3 saboteurs injured. One has to undergo emergency surgery to save his finger. South Devon Hunt, Devon
• 27 November
  Saboteur receives 5 stitches to head wound after attack. High Peak Harriers, Derbyshire
  17 year old saboteur receives broken nose after repeatedly headbutted. Crawley and Horsham Hunt, West Sussex
• 4 December
  Saboteurs threatened by terrierman wearing balaclava. Numerous assaults on saboteurs including a broken nose. Essex Farmers and Union/East Essex Hunt, Essex
• 11 December
  Saboteur's wrist broken in 2 places by terrierman. Essex Hunt, Essex Saboteur threatened by hunt supporter in front of police. High Peak Harriers, Derbyshire
• 18 December
  Saboteur ridden over by hunt rider twice. Essex Farmers and Union Hunt, Essex.
  Saboteurs punched and equipment stolen. Attempts made to smash saboteur's van window with log. Van whipped, kicked and thumped. Attempts made to drag saboteurs from van. Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt, Dorset.
• 24 December
  2 cars smashed up and dead fox left on passenger seat of car. Chiddingfold Leconfield and Cowdray Hunt, West Sussex
• 27 December
  Saboteurs threatened with knife. One ridden down. Hunt supporters then armed themselves with iron bars and sticks. Weston and Banwell Harriers, Somerset.
  2 saboteurs rugby tackled to ground. Puckeridge Hunt, Suffolk.
• 31 December
  12 hunt saboteurs injured by mob of 30 thugs. East Essex Hunt, Essex.
• 1 January 2005
  Pregnant woman taken to hospital with head injuries after being whipped and ridden over twice by hunt staff. Essex Hunt, Essex.
• 3 January
  Hunt monitor's car destroyed in arson attack. West Sussex
• 4 January
  2 saboteurs receive broken rib, facial injuries and equipment is stolen. Surrey Union Hunt, Surrey.
• 8 January
  4 female saboteurs attacked receiving limb injuries / fractures, vehicle badly damaged. Crawley & Horsham Hunt, West Sussex.
• 15 January
  Saboteurs threatened and attacked, vehicle damaged. Cotswold Vale Hunt, Gloucestershire.
• 20 January
  Hunt supporter armed with a metal spike punctures sab Landrover door, barely missing the driver's leg. Duke of Beaufort's Hunt, Wiltshire
• 22 January
  60 year old female aboteurs ridden down - receives head and neck injuries. Dunston Harriers, Norfolk.
• 29 January
  2 hunt ‘stewards’ arrested after attack on hunt saboteurs. Avon Vale Fox Hunt, Wiltshire.
• 05 February
  2 hunt saboteurs injured, 15 attacked by 30 hunt thugs. East Kent Fox Hunt, Kent.
• 05 February
  Hunt saboteurs threatened with violence by hunt followers in front of police, obstruction and theft from motor vehicle ignored. Hampshire Fox Hunt, Hampshire.
• 09 February
  Saboteurs hit by quad bike, ridden down and whipped. Essex Farmers and Union Hunt
• 12 February
  Saboteur's finger broken, female sab had head held under water by hunt supporters, female saboteur repeatedly kicked in the head and head stamped on suffering a suspected broken jaw, gang of over 40 hunt supporters ambushed saboteurs. Essex Foxhounds, Essex.
• 17 February
  8 Saboteur's attacked and ITN film crew ambushed by 30 thugs and riders. Chiddingfold Leconfield and Cowdray Hunt, West Sussex.

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