Hunt Violence

As MPs were about to vote on the future of hunting, Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Lembit Öpik, co-chairman of the so-called "Middle Way Group", warned that young men would resort to violence if "the only way of life they know" was criminalised. Luckily Mr Öpik's crude attempt at blackmail failed, however even he acknowledges the violent nature of many hunt supporters.

"From now on we're going to start hunting the saboteurs" Nick Herbert, British Field Sports Society political officer

Whenever hunting has been challenged they have always resorted to violence. In 1843 when farmers, opposed the damage caused by the hunt crossing their land, Masters of Foxhounds "dealt with the uppishness of lower orders on the spot with their fists". Rev J. Stratton, a pioneering member of the Humanitarian League, who followed hunts on foot to record their 'cruelty' "received abusive letters and once his house was fired at". The first organised attack on members of the HSA occurred when a carload of saboteurs were surrounded and one saboteurs' jaw broken on 2 May 1964. In an often quoted phrase some hunters do continue to feel that "Horsewhipping a hunt saboteur is rather like beating a wife. They are both private matters". In 1978-9 violence on the property and persons of hunt sabs reached such a pitch that the Hunt Saboteurs Association (HSA) asked the British Field Sports Society (Countryside Alliance) for a meeting to discuss ways to diffuse the issue.

The HSA reported that "in the first three months of 1993 alone some 75 saboteurs were victims of violent attacks by hunts, 13 of them requiring hospital attention as a result. 5 incidents of hunters using vehicles as weapons, 10 of damage to sabs vehicles and at least 2 others of damage to saboteurs' property".

In 1997 the League Against Cruel Sports revealed that fox-hunters had threatened to burn down forests, blockade streets and even turn to terrorism if their so-called 'sport' was abolished.

An editorial in the January 1997 edition of the terrier and lurcher fanzine Earth Dog, Running Dog threatened a Labour minister, 'Do you want to turn Britain's forests into charred waste land? ... Don't force the most law abiding citizens to become terrorists or you, and your party will live to regret it.'

Similar threats to 'burn down the forests' have been made by hunt supporting farmers in Wales.

On Boxing Day 1996, the Daily Express reported that the BFSS's Chief Press officer threatening: 'If any bill goes further than Parliament we could cause chaos on the motorways. Imagine what 5,000 horse boxes could do on the M25, M5 and M6.'

Otis Ferry has openly spoken of a Government minister being killed by the hunting fraternity which simply highlights how much they have lost all sense of perspective.

The scenes of mob violence witnessed at two pro-hunt rallies in recent years are not unique, violence is ingrained into every aspect of hunting and those in the hunting fraternity who do not support violence have done nothing to stop it either. Sadly the vast majoirty of incidents of hunt violence are never reported.

Recorded violence by hunt supporters in just a three month period:

17.02.05: Police are investigating claims of an attack on an elderly man, a mother of three and a 27-year-old protester during an incident said to involve supporters of the Chiddingfold Leconfield and Cowdray Hunt. Detectives were analysing video footage taken by an ITN cameraman.

Arson Attack on Anti-Hunt Campaigner's Van

Simon Wright from West Sussex was awoken at 4am on 3rd January 2005 by an explosion at the garage of his 17th century house. He raced down to find his almost new Citroen diesel van engulfed in flames.

Mr Wright actively campaigns against fox hunting and regularly monitors hunts in West Sussex. In 1998 his vehicle was damaged while he monitored the Crawley and Horsham Hunt. Two hunt masters were subsequently convicted, but later acquitted on appeal, for damaging his car. Mr Wright has had a catalogue of incidents while monitoring the Crawley and Horsham Hunt, including vandalism of his vehicle. He has recently made statements to police in connection with threatening behaviour from hunt followers. He was assaulted in 2001 at the Royal Oak Public House in Wineham by a hunt supporter, and recieved substantial damages from the assailant for criminal damages and assault. Hunt Master of the Crawley and Horsham Hunt, Kim Richardson, was recently videoed telling anti hunt protesters: "You are all fair game now, I've told everybody".

Chiddingfold, Leconfield and Cowdray Hunt's CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

Windows of hunt sabs cars smashed and recently killed fox dumped in window at Pulborough, W. Sussex 24 Dec 04 . Hunt met at Combelands, a gallops and stables owned by race course trainer and garage owner Guy Harwood.

The hunt terrier-man (Philip Overton) is alleged to have spoken to a hunt sab during Christmas Eve and reportedly said: "You'll be seing a fox later!"

Recent wave of violence against anti-hunt protestors since the Hunting Act was passed on 18th November 2004:

• 20 November 2004
  3 saboteurs injured. o­ne has to undergo emergency surgery to save his finger. South Devon Hunt, Devon
  
• 27 November 2004
  Saboteur receives 5 stitches to head wound after attack. High Peak Harriers, Derbyshire
  
• 27 November 2004
  17 year old saboteur receives broken nose after repeatedly headbutted. Crawley and Horsham Hunt, West Sussex
  
• 4 December 2004
  Saboteurs threatened by terrierman wearing balaclava. Numerous assaults o­n saboteurs including a broken nose. Essex Farmers and Union/East Essex Hunt, Essex
  
• 11 December 2004
  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 2004
  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 2004
  2 cars smashed up and dead fox left on passenger seat of car. Chiddingfold Leconfield and Cowdray Hunt, West Sussex
  
• 27 December 2004
  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 2004
  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 2005
  Hunt monitor's car destroyed in arson attack. West Sussex
  
• 4 January 2005
  2 saboteurs receive facial injuries and equipment is stolen. Surrey Union Hunt, Surrey.