St Valentine’s Day Massacre for foxes
Surrey Police were accused of acting as a private security force for a hunt as they arrested 7 hunt saboteurs at the Surrey Union Hunt today. Up to 30 police formed a protective ring around terriermen digging out a terrified fox that had taken refuge in an earth. The incident took place after the hunt had finished on the Hampton Estate near Farnham in Surrey.
Saboteurs at the scene reported the police arresting "anyone they could grab" for alleged Aggravated Trespass. One protestor videoing the arrests had his video tape seized. The fox was dug out and shot in front of the police and remaining saboteurs.
Hunt Saboteurs Association (HSA) spokesperson, Nathan Brown, said " We hold every policeman present responsible for the torture and death of a wild animal at the hands of the hunt. They could not have helped more short of digging the fox out themselves. The police today made a clear decision whose side they were on and dropped any pretence of unbiased policing. The fact that it happened when the hunt were on the land of a former High Sheriff stinks of corruption."
This will put an end to Surrey Police’s cost-saving liaison with hunt saboteurs. The HSA spokesperson added: "This means the end of any co-operation with Surrey Police, and as a result they should expect their policing costs to rocket. Last season, Surrey Police failed to uphold a conviction against any of the many hunt saboteurs they arrested. This is an abuse of power and position to prevent us saving animals' lives."
Notes to Editors:-
The arrested protestors were taken to Guildford police station, currently at the centre of allegations of officers committing rape.
The owner of the Hampton estate, Bill Biddell, was High Sheriff of Surrey from 2001 to 2002, when he handed over to Penelope Keith.
The Hampton estate is due to hold an open day for the Countryside Foundation for Education (CFE) in April. The CFE is an "educational charity" whose trustees include the Chairman of the Masters of Foxhounds Association, Lord Daresbury, and the Master & huntsman of the North Penine Foxhounds, Michael Tones. . See
http://www.countrysidefoundation.org.uk/Events/EstateDays/Hampton/hamptonmain.htm for more information.
For on the spot witness comments, please call Aubrey Thomas 07973 857852
Further HSA info: www.huntsabs.org.uk or call Press Officer Nathan Brown 07815 313181
ENDS
Surrey Police were accused of acting as a private security force for a hunt as they arrested 7 hunt saboteurs at the Surrey Union Hunt today. Up to 30 police formed a protective ring around terriermen digging out a terrified fox that had taken refuge in an earth. The incident took place after the hunt had finished on the Hampton Estate near Farnham in Surrey.
Saboteurs at the scene reported the police arresting "anyone they could grab" for alleged Aggravated Trespass. One protestor videoing the arrests had his video tape seized. The fox was dug out and shot in front of the police and remaining saboteurs.
Hunt Saboteurs Association (HSA) spokesperson, Nathan Brown, said " We hold every policeman present responsible for the torture and death of a wild animal at the hands of the hunt. They could not have helped more short of digging the fox out themselves. The police today made a clear decision whose side they were on and dropped any pretence of unbiased policing. The fact that it happened when the hunt were on the land of a former High Sheriff stinks of corruption."
This will put an end to Surrey Police’s cost-saving liaison with hunt saboteurs. The HSA spokesperson added: "This means the end of any co-operation with Surrey Police, and as a result they should expect their policing costs to rocket. Last season, Surrey Police failed to uphold a conviction against any of the many hunt saboteurs they arrested. This is an abuse of power and position to prevent us saving animals' lives."
Notes to Editors:-
The arrested protestors were taken to Guildford police station, currently at the centre of allegations of officers committing rape.
The owner of the Hampton estate, Bill Biddell, was High Sheriff of Surrey from 2001 to 2002, when he handed over to Penelope Keith.
The Hampton estate is due to hold an open day for the Countryside Foundation for Education (CFE) in April. The CFE is an "educational charity" whose trustees include the Chairman of the Masters of Foxhounds Association, Lord Daresbury, and the Master & huntsman of the North Penine Foxhounds, Michael Tones. . See
http://www.countrysidefoundation.org.uk/Events/EstateDays/Hampton/hamptonmain.htm for more information. For on the spot witness comments, please call Aubrey Thomas 07973 857852
Further HSA info: www.huntsabs.org.uk or call Press Officer Nathan Brown 07815 313181
ENDS
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Comments
Hide the following 5 comments
But didn't they HAVE to?
15.02.2004 15:06
But this entire concept is based upon the premise that the police WILL do so and with reasonable promptness. Please note that your "non-violence" is NOT necessarily an issue here because presumably I should not have to tolerate missionaries insisting on non-violently occupying my living room and preaching at me -- that I could call the police who would eject them. Do you REALLY want the law to be different about this? Do you REALLY want the police to standby, leave it between you and them, you to be allowed to non-violently occupy the property and they allowed to eject you by whatever force they are willing to use?
Mike
e-mail:
stepbystepfarm mtdata.com
only after being asked by the police
15.02.2004 19:45
However, as the protestors were trying to prevent a more evil crime from occuring, the law allows for this (prevention of further crimes etc...). This is not taken into account as the the problem is that fox hunting is still not 'Illegal' as such but many believe that is immoral (but morals don't matter if you aren't in a religeon).
As for coming into someone's living room (as the previous commenter stated), up until recently, this was legal (or it was difficult to get arrested for it - some peopl have been arrested for theft of electricity etc...). It is a good way to get your point across.
fredrico
e-mail:
musteatvegan@yahoo.co.uk
Mike ...
15.02.2004 23:44
None of 'their laws' will stop us from saving lives.
Hunt Scum - Leave our wildlife alone!!
Puppets of the state - leave those that are saving lives alone!!
Bonzo
Mad Fox and Philip
23.02.2004 17:37
Volpine Spongiform Encephalopathy
Would it not be
better, Charles and Will,
to abandon the
hunting of the fox
than to contract
volpine spongiform
encephalopathy
or Mad Fox
from the bite
of an angry victim
of an obsolete cruelty?
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Surrey Police
11.04.2004 13:30
You are correct when you say that Surrey Police are corrupt.Are
you really surprised that they did not act impartailly ?. Indeed
Surrey Police treat members of the public as if they did not exist
and indeed even some of their own who happen to speak out as with
Inspector Andy Catlin and others. You might like to look at
web sites
taxpayers money in many ways, none of it going towards proper
policing.
Alan Stepney