Today about 30 sabs peacefully prevented a grouse shoot from taking place. The sabs turned up prepared to stop the shoot of Snailsden Moor in South Yorkshire by peaceful tactics such as scaring away the birds or blocking the shooter's view with sheets, but as it turned out this was not necessary. We arrived at the shoot site just as the prospective shooters were preparing to occupy the butts (hides from where grouse are shot at). Finding a group of sabs in between them and their butts, the large group of hunters, beaters (who scare the birds into the air so they can be shot at) and hired “security” (actually thugs paid to intimidate, manhandle and assault sabs) were for some reason too cowardly to walk past the sabs and start their shoot. Instead, both groups stood staring at each other for over two hours. Some of the hired thugs, however, were very quick to pursue a few sabs separated from the main group, and proceeded to unprovokedly attack several men and women. The police officers who were standing around with the main group of hunters and sabs were very unwilling to deal with this incident, and refused to listen to the visibly injured the sabs who offered to point out the offending thugs to them. Soon a police helicopter arrived to hover overhead and shoot footage of the peaceful sabs, and when more police officers arrived threatening to arrest us for aggravated trespass we decided it was time to leave.

Once we had left the moor, however, our way was blocked by police vans and officers who told us that because Sections 60 and 69 had been put in place due to allegations of violence, we would not be allowed back to the area for three months and would all be searched before we could leave. They proceeded to search each and every sab, despite the fact that we were the ones who had made the allegations of violence. Of course, no weapons were found and we were allowed to leave. The injured sabs again approached the police about their assault, and again the police attempted to dissuade them from pressing charges, this time by telling them that “the other side will make counter-allegations – and there's one of them in hospital with serious injuries”. This was a blatant lie as no hunters, beaters or hired “security” had been injured in any way, never mind hospitalised! Despite this incredible reluctance to bring justice to violent thugs, the sabs insisted and were eventually allowed to point out some of those who had assaulted them. The hunting party then all left the land without having shot at a single grouse – but despite harbouring violent criminals unlike the peaceful sabs, they were allowed to leave without being searched.

This was a great day in some respects as we entirely prevented the shoot from taking place simply by being there, and saved an unknown number of birds from being shot out of the air - but it was sad to see the blatant bias in this police force. An expensive police helicopter was deployed for some peaceful people standing on a moor whilst allegations of violent assaults were ignored. I can't help but ponder what made this police force so reluctant to seek justice for all – a superintendent that enjoys shooting himself? A reluctance to get on the wrong side of the rich and powerful? I can only wonder.