Human Victims of Hunting

The violent scenes from pro-hunt protestors outside Parliament are just a small sample of the violence that is inflicted on wildlife in the countryside and on anti-hunt campaigners, especially hunt saboteurs each year.

Members of the Hunt Saboteurs Associaton, who save animals' lives with non-violent direct action, have been subjected to constant violent attacks over the last forty years.

Two hunt saboteurs have died:

• Mike Hill died on 9 February 1991 whilst sabotaging the Cheshire Beagles hare hunt.
• Tom Worby died on 3 April 1993 at the Cambridgeshire Hunt

Incredibly nobody has faced charges for either of their deaths.

On September 1st 2000, 34 year olf Steve Christmas was left fighting for his life after a hunt supporter deliberately drove his Land Rover at him in a field during a cub-hunt meet of the Old Surrey and Burstow and West Kent Hunt. Paramedics who showed deep concern over his conditioned airlifted him to hospital after the attack from the field at Horstead Keynes in West Sussex. His injuries included broken ribs, internal bleeding and a badly broken pelvis. He spent weeks in intensive care on a ventilator and constantly sedated, he needed a metal plate inserting to repair his pelvis, had to have a section of bowel removed due to complications and needed blood transfusions. He is no longer able to run more than a few yards, but is lucky to be alive. The thug was arrested and released but was later charged with causing GBH and Driving Without Insurance. He was later release on bail, and remains unconvicted.

On the 19th October 2002 a supporter of the Hampshire Hunt tried to run down a sab in a field near Long Sutton. The reckless idiot drove his Discovery at a group of 5 sabs calling hounds away from a fox. He singled out one for particular attention and tried to mow him down. In a chilling scenario reminiscent of how 2 sabs have died and how Steve Christmas was maimed for life, the sab almost went under the wheels of the vehicle. Had he not rolled out of the way we could have been mourning another sab. The sequence below taken from a video gives you an idea of how close it was.

 
On 23rd February 2002 members of the North West Hunt Saboteurs Association (NWHSA) attended a meet of the Cheshire Forest Hunt near Northwich. Throughout the course of the day hunt saboteurs were subjected to threats and intimidation from hunt supporters. As members of the NWHSA were using non-violent direct action tactics to prevent the hunt from killing a fox they were confronted by 15 hunt supporters. During this confrontation one NWHSA member was pushed to the floor, pinned down by two hunt supporter and another picked up a large boulder and dropped it. The attack failed on the first occasion because the sab was able to wriggle his legs away but on the second occasion those holding him did a better job and the rock was dropped directly onto his right leg, fracturing it just below the knee. Those responsible remain unconvicted.

These are just a few examples of the total disregard hunts and their supporters have for human life.

Take a look at the thugs gallery to see what anti-hunt campaigners regularly face when attending a hunt.