Hunt saboteurs in East Anglia today spoke of their ordeal when they were repeatedly attacked by a gang of gamekeepers supporting the Eastern Counties Mink Hounds. The incidents, which happened on Saturday (10 July), took place whilst the protestors were using non violent direct action to prevent the hunt from killing mink on the Ditchingham Hall estate near Bungay on the Suffolk/Norfolk border.
Picture of sab with nose broken by hunt thugs
Up to 20 gamekeepers repeatedly tried to start fights with hunt saboteurs at the Eastern Counties Mink Hounds on Sat 10 July, and one female saboteur received a broken nose and whiplash injuries as a result of an attack. The police initially took no interest and were even seen driving some of the gamekeepers around. Following remonstrations from the
saboteurs, a hunt supporter was eventually arrested. However, enquiries to the police for a crime reference number have proved fruitless.
15 police vehicles, including a police helicopter, attended the hunt and 3 saboteurs were arrested for alleged offences. The protestors, from Suffolk, Essex and Norfolk, claim that hunt supporters were allowed to attack the arrested people as they were being led away. They also claim that the police carried out a baton charge and struck protestors around their legs with batons.
Hunt Saboteurs Association spokesperson Nathan Brown said "The activities of the police on Saturday have to be brought under scrutiny especially given the fact that Ditchingham Hall is a large shooting estate owned by Earl Ferrers. We are left wondering if the police were his private security force that day." Earl Ferrers is a Deputy Lieutenant of Norfolk and Conservative member of the House of Lords. He also lists shooting as a
recreation in Debretts.
Mink hunting is an activity taken part in by hunting enthusiasts when foxhunting and harehunting do not take place. It is acknowledged by many wildlife experts to be more damaging to fragile wetland environments than the activities of mink.
A report by Suffolk Wildlife Trust on the activities of the Eastern Counties
Mink Hounds submitted to the parliamentary Burns Inquiry into Hunting concluded "Our witness ended with the opinion that the disturbance created by the hunt far outweighed the damage done by mink...."
A photograph of the saboteur immediately after her nose was broken is available (low resolution copy attached)
ENDS
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)
saboteurs, a hunt supporter was eventually arrested. However, enquiries to the police for a crime reference number have proved fruitless.
15 police vehicles, including a police helicopter, attended the hunt and 3 saboteurs were arrested for alleged offences. The protestors, from Suffolk, Essex and Norfolk, claim that hunt supporters were allowed to attack the arrested people as they were being led away. They also claim that the police carried out a baton charge and struck protestors around their legs with batons.
Hunt Saboteurs Association spokesperson Nathan Brown said "The activities of the police on Saturday have to be brought under scrutiny especially given the fact that Ditchingham Hall is a large shooting estate owned by Earl Ferrers. We are left wondering if the police were his private security force that day." Earl Ferrers is a Deputy Lieutenant of Norfolk and Conservative member of the House of Lords. He also lists shooting as a
recreation in Debretts.
Mink hunting is an activity taken part in by hunting enthusiasts when foxhunting and harehunting do not take place. It is acknowledged by many wildlife experts to be more damaging to fragile wetland environments than the activities of mink.
A report by Suffolk Wildlife Trust on the activities of the Eastern Counties
Mink Hounds submitted to the parliamentary Burns Inquiry into Hunting concluded "Our witness ended with the opinion that the disturbance created by the hunt far outweighed the damage done by mink...."
A photograph of the saboteur immediately after her nose was broken is available (low resolution copy attached)
ENDS
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)
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Comments
Hide the following 8 comments
Big Men
13.07.2004 09:08
How unusual the filth thugs of the state didn't arrest any hunt scum.. ;)
Minx
Dirty Hunt Scum
13.07.2004 18:41
la bouche
Duplicity!
14.07.2004 17:11
Oh, but, that's OK - they're rich, so they're exempt from such laws, aren't they?
And they're also friends with your caring, sharing local MPs as well, so they must be good sorts!!
Then there's the vivisectors, the battery farmers, the military (who still insist on using non-human test subjects), the 'fast' food producers...the list goes on.
Still, when The Revolution comes they'll be first ones against the wall.
Respect due to the Hunt Sabs - keep up the good work.
A. Narky
Sabbing PR
15.07.2004 17:36
When I was a sab (hunt saboteur), people always repeated the mantra 'every week we save lives'. However, although campaigning is much slower, the individual lives saved will be worth it in the end. Letter writing, picketing, placard waving, wearing fox costumes, etc may not be as rock and roll as wearing a balaclava and running through the woods every week, but sabbing only stops a fraction of hunting.
Lets work towards the ban,
R
Former Sab - R
Liberalisation not legislation
19.07.2004 09:49
Bobby
Response to the above comment...
19.07.2004 18:18
Maybe the reason that people turn up Ballied up is because the law is written (and therefore) biased in favour of the rich minority whom own most physical assets and perpetuate the current status quo of multilateral exploitation of ALL species (including our own).
It is to this same rich minority that the Police are ultimately accountable.
It is also mainly this rich minority whom perpetuate bloodsports, and therefore lead by example to others in society.
Point 2:
Maybe because of the above stated reasons in point 1, people are protecting their own liberty by wearing a Balaclava.
There is safety in anonimity
This is also why other groups around the world, like for example, the Zapatistas also wear Balaclavas.
Point 3:
If you are going to go down the 'liberal' path of everyone being accountable for their actions by remaining visible, perhaps you should also tell the SAS to remove their Balaclavas when they're on a mission too.
Point taken..?
Annie Malle
Response
20.07.2004 10:59
I hope that you take the time to look into the seperate issues and calculate your protests in a way that is appropriate to this. I still maintain my view that turning up at someones house 'ballied up' is not an appropriate means of protest.
I will be interested to hear your reply.
Bobby
String the bastard up..
22.07.2004 12:26
Foxy