HSA news release 29th November 1997
Pitched battle in Dorset as hunters make last stand
Two hunt saboteurs were in Salisbury Hospital tonight (Saturday) with head
injuries, after being attacked by huntsmen using axe handles at the Portman
Foxhunt in Dorset.
The attacks were part of an orchestrated orgy of violence by the members and
supporters of this notorious hunt who had earlier met at Guy's Marsh near
Shaftesbury, Dorset.
A group of 60 saboteurs arrived in the area of the hunt (this hunt can only
be sabotaged with large groups sticking together for personal safety), only
to witness the hunt hounds ripping apart a fox. Almost immediately, one of
the saboteurs' vans was rammed by a hunt supporter's Land Rover.
Having had time to ring around their 'telephone tree' to call up some extra
'muscle' the hunt continued to ride over and whip saboteurs at every
opportunity. When hunt supporters from the surrounding hunts arrived after
about 1 hour, they wasted no time in attacking the saboteurs. Wearing
balaclavas and wielding pick axe handles, the hunt thugs went on a rampage,
battering any saboteur they could find. At one point, two hunt followers
pulled out shotguns to threaten the saboteurs. (Photographs taken)
A local saboteur from Dorchester, Neil Buckoke, who has himself been the
victim of threats to kill, and physical violence from followers of the
Portman Hunt said: "They went absolutely mad out there today. They are
desperate to take out their anger on someone because of the massive defeat
they suffered in parliament yesterday, and unfortunately for us, we are the
frontline against hunting in this country". He added: "It will not
be long before they kill another saboteur if this is the way they are going
to carry on".
The police had a helicopter above the hunt for most of the day, and should
have video evidence of the attacks against the saboteurs who were caught by
surprise at the ferocity of the hunters' aggression. At one stage the
huntsman, Hugo Busby, was off his horse trying to hit people with a pick axe
handle - he had thoughtfully removed his red coat, possibly not wanting to
get the blood of a hunt saboteur on it!
Related photos can be found here.
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