Hunt Saboteurs Association Press Release:

POST HUNT BAN POLICING TARGETS ANTI-HUNT PROTESTORS NOT HUNTS

Release Date: 5 October 2005

After another protestor was arrested on Saturday, the Hunt Saboteurs
Association (HSA) is highlighting a concern that police forces are not
only
failing to enforce the Hunting Act, but are targetting anti-hunting
activists who attend meets to monitor potential law breaking activity.

On Saturday 1 October 2005, a hunt protestor was arrested at the Essex and
Suffolk Hunt after a meet at Ivy Tree Farm, Shelley near Hadleigh,
Suffolk.
The police allege an offence of Aggravated Trespass was committed. The
33-year old man from London claims he was not trespassing and was not
disrupting the hunt. Aside from the facts of what took place, there are
also questions to be raised about whether the activity taking place was in
itself lawful.

Witnesses claim that the hunt were hunting foxes on the day. The same
hunt
killed a fox in a field of beet 2 weeks previously with police officers
and
protestors present. The protestor was released WITHOUT CHARGE three
quarters of an hour after arriving at Ipswich police station and bailed to
return at a future date.

HSA spokesperson Nathan Brown said "We have no interest in disrupting a
hunt following a false trail. At the point that they start to pursue a fox or
other wild mammal their activity is no longer lawful. If at this point we
were to intervene and halt the proceedings we would not be in
contravention
of Aggravated Trespass law which requires the activity being allegedly
disrupted to be lawful. In effect, by arresting anti-hunt protestors the
police could be assisting the hunt to carry out an illegal activity. The
majority of people in this country who supported a hunt ban will be
outraged."

The HSA has also received reports that the police are using the Harassment
Act to curtail the activities of anti-hunt monitors. Protestors claim
they
were warned by Dorset Police that if they waited at the kennels to follow
the huntsman and hounds to the meet, they could be arrested under the
Harassment Act. Meanwhile a report has been received that Wiltshire
police
have actually made an arrest of an anti-hunt protestor for an offence
under
the Harassment Act.

The HSA spokesperson commented: "To any normal person, this abuse of a law
brought in to protect people from stalkers would seem ridiculous if it
were
not so outrageous. It seems like the police are clutching at straws in an
attempt to prevent people from monitoring an illegal activity. The great
irony is that the reason independent anti-hunt monitors have to attend
hunts
to gather evidence is because the Association of Chief Police Officers and
individual forces have made it clear that they do not intend to enforce
the
ban themselves."

Mr. Brown added: "These are just a few instances, and we are sure that as
the season unfolds there will be many more. We are also sure that some
police forces will find themselves involved in costly civil actions for
wrongful arrest."

*On Saturday 17 September at the Crawley & Horsham Hunt in Sussex, when an
anti-hunt protestor reported breaches of the Hunting Act, he was told by a
policeman ON VIDEO that they weren't interested in enforcing the Hunt ban.
Anti-hunt activists were attacked at the Crawley & Horsham during that day
and were also attacked on 1 October.

The protestor arrested on Saturday in Suffolk is happy to speak to
journalists. For further information contact Nathan Brown 07815 313181.
Hunt Saboteurs Association Press Office
www.huntsabs.org.uk
All press enquiries - Tel: 07815 313181
BM HSA
London
WC1N 3XX
Other enquiries 0845 4500727 (24hr ansaphone)