Skip to content or view screen version

Arson attack o­n anti-hunt campaigner's van as wave of violence increases.

BlackSheep | 08.01.2005 16:39 | Animal Liberation

Simon Wright from Pulborough, W. Sussex was awoken at 4am o­n Mon 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. The explosion and fire caused substantial damage to the vehicle,garden and nearby buildings. Several fire appliances attended the incident, and the area was cordoned off for a number of hours. The police are investigating the suspected arson attack.



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".

A spokesperson for the Hunt Saboteurs Association, Nathan Brown, said "With the recent increase in serious attacks o­n our members, and specifically Mr. Wright, I am in no doubt that a hunt supporter carried out this arson attack. It should be seen as part of an escalating wave of violence from the hunting fraternity."

Despite the serious violence being dished out to hunt saboteurs, Sussex police have withdrawn officers from policing hunts. In a meeting with local saboteurs yesterday at Lewes, senior officers revealed that they have told the hunts they will not be policing meets. The spokesperson continued "This is like a green light for the hunts to carry out attacks with impunity. The police do not seem to be taking violent attacks o­n hunt saboteurs as seriously as they do a saboteur blowing a hunting horn to disrupt a hunt.
"When you put this in the context of Sussex police's previous £100,000-a-year Operation Rook, which targetted hunt saboteurs, you begin to wonder who pulls the strings of Sussex Police."

Notes for Editors:

Contacts: Hunt Saboteurs Association: Nathan Brown 07815 313181

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 facial injuries and equipment is stolen. Surrey Union Hunt, Surrey.

A.R.P. (Richard) Carden, High Sheriff of East Sussex 2001-2 was also a Master of Leicestershire's Quorn Hunt 1997-2003.

Ends.

BlackSheep

Comments

Hide the following 7 comments

No need to wonder...

09.01.2005 00:27

There's no need to wonder who pulls the strings (or holds the whip) in relating to the hunt and authorities. Hunt scum are the land owners and either the powers that be, or best chums with the powers the be. Why do you think that while pretty much every other (working class) blood sport has long since be banned, the hunt scum have continuously confounded any attempts at getting a ban despite the overwhelming wishes of the British public?
During the years that i was out sabbing I saw again and again the cops bowing down to their masters and nicking us on the lamest of excuses while turning a blind eye and refusing to arrest scum for serious assults on sabs. Nobody needs telling the the cops are in the pockets of the rich and powerful, who do you think they work for? While it would be nice to think that they are actually the public servants that cops should be, it is blatently not the case. It's still peels boyz working for the merchants and land owners, always was, always will be.

m


Fox hunters are the most law abiding of people!

09.01.2005 11:50

This is just black propaganda! You could easily say the same thing about working class football supportters who have been involved in numerous acts of extreme violence! Out of the tens of thousands of people who go fox hunting the vast majority are law abiding and peaceful people. And in no way is fox hunting a purely upper class sport. At fox hunts there are people from all walks of life from nurses and bus drivers to lawyers and landowners.

Countryside Alliance


to Cunt-ryside Alliance

09.01.2005 16:38

crawl in to a hole and die. please xx

--


Here they are ...

09.01.2005 17:06


Your friendly neighbourhood hunt supporters ..

Violence in Animal Rights Website:  http://www.violenceinanimalrights.co.uk

pro^sab


Try to be a little less bigoted towards people wiith mental health problems pls.

11.01.2005 17:31

King Amdo I am offended by your comment that "These people (countryside alliance faction) have a mental health problem....". I and close friends of mine and many other people i know have had at some time or other Mental health problems ranging from distress and/or depression to bi polar to full blown schizophrenia. The sadism of the "larcenous rascist scum" ( http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1315845,00.html) et al and their rascism and violence are completely things they have freewill over, not a mental illness( no matter how sick they are).

-


king whoever

12.01.2005 01:09

I understand, but others don't ...

Fuck the convoy trip... It ain't worth it bro.

We have been an we have seen and we all did what we did. So fucking what?? That's life and that's how it was.

Leave it brother Amando and get down to thee real life issues at hand.

The here and now. The very second/s...

Concentrate. You are You. I am I. There is a differance but at heart ...

Told ya once. Won't tell u again. Stop BLAMING OTHERS!!!!!

Love and Hugs

xxx

Dim Shit


I'm sorry king Amdo

12.01.2005 14:54

I wasn't intending to stir up an argument, and I had no idea that you had such a diagnosis and that you had met people who had such experiences. I apologise.

-