The lack of an update last week was largely due to once again getting clearance to use footage which is likely to be used in legal proceedings. Releasing this footage prior to the outcome will ruin any potential case against the offenders but needless to say all is in hand and we’re hopeful of a successful prosecution. For a full update of the day visit the Beds & Bucks Hunt Sabs Facebook page.
Another issue which came to light were the claims that a Huntsman from the Tedworth Hunt was kicked unconscious by sabs wielding metal bars on chains. Heavily edited and totally biased footage was aired on BBC Points West, complete with a Countryside Alliance spokesperson spouting their usual vitriol. However if you look at the complete footage compiled by Berkshire Hunt Sabs with additional comments a completely different story is clear to see.
What’s also evident by the CA releasing the footage is that they expect no action from the police on the issue otherwise they wouldn’t have released the video. The fact it was filmed by a hunt supporter and then picked up by the Daily Mail who are known to support hunting and love nothing more than printing sensationalist clap trap based on hearsay just proves this is nothing more than pro-hunt propaganda designed to fill in the cracks of their crumbling argument ahead of a general election. The simple fact is sabs face violence every week from hunts and their support. You are allowed to defend yourself and it’s pretty clear to me after watching the video the violence was instigated by the hunt or their support and they then came off second best. The so called metal bars on chains were nothing more than home made, lightweight whips sabs use for rating the hounds, hardly the pinnacle of personal defence armament.
The comments from the CA spokesperson were quite frankly laughable. Once again he tries to paint the picture of sabs being terrorists, covering their faces and leaving the towns for the countryside for a bit of a ruck and knowing nothing of countryside ways and wildlife control.
Lets break these issues down.
Face coverings. I’ve covered this before but it’s an issue which keeps arising so I’ll go over it again. Hunts and hunt support try very hard to find out who you are. They will go after you at your home or place of work. They will do all they can to discredit you, intimidate you and make you unemployable. Maintaining secrecy regarding your identity isn’t being a coward it’s sound operational security. Hunt support, especially the terrier men or the hired thungs used to protect the hunts regularly cover their faces, this is of course so it makes them difficult to identify in case they find themselves under investigation but we hear no mention of that from the CA.
Another article in the Torygraph sorry I mean Telegraph once again claims sabs are all animal rights extremists, hard liners that are politically motivated thugs terrorising those involved in a lawful pursuit that need to be unmasked. Obviously the writer of the article, Clive Aslet is completely impartial in this but oh wait, he seems to be editor at large for Country Life, hardly a publication with nothing to gain and no doubt spurred on to write the piece by the CA as they’re obviously cosey bedfellows in this. The double standards and hypocrisy in the piece is rife to say the least. A bunch of pissed up thugs from the Royal Agricultural College trying to overturn a sab vehicle and smash their way in is nothing more than, and I quote “rosy-cheeked, well-spoken students in tweed caps behaving in a yahooish manner”. And lets not forget, despite their claims to the contrary, all were breaking the law by hunting illegally in the first place.
We’re all townies. Most sabs I know come from all walks of life, come from hugely varying backgrounds and live in both rural and urban locations. CA claims to the contrary are nothing more than ignorant bluff and bluster.
Wildlife control. Oops, the hunt in question were supposed to be drag hunting (aren’t they all) so then why is wildlife control mentioned? If you’re following a trail nothing will be hunted and killed. Seems like an admittance of illegal hunting to me and wildlife control is just a phrase designed to soften the image of killing. I also wonder if the hunt in question had any terrier men with them as they nearly always do? Those pesky trail layers, it’s amazing how they manage to go under ground in holes and badger setts. If you’re following a trail then terrier men are completely unnecessary.
Countryside ways. Once upon a time it was OK to flog your slaves, bait bears and burn witches if your crops failed. Things have thankfully moved on. They’re so called countryside ways are nothing more than an excuse for bloodthirsty sociopaths to get their jollies by watching a sentient mammal tormented and then killed in a most barbaric manner. I’ve spent my entire life in the countryside, living with and working for our native wildlife. I’d be hugely surprised if any of the hunt staff or support knew anything beyond the basics of the environment around them and the ecosystems they support.
Obviously the CA have money to burn in an attempt to win over the general population to their cause however with over 80% still in favour of a ban on hunting with hounds many of their arguments will fall on deaf ears. You only have to view the disturbing footage from last week filmed by Dorset Hunt Sabs to know that the hunts are continually breaking the law and no amount of PR and propaganda will cover up this fact. This time the hunt in question was the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale, the same hunt who almost killed a sab some months ago. Full press release from the HSA can be found here.
UPDATE: It would appear, as expected that the Tedworth footage was supplied directly by Jill Grieve, who just happens to be director of Communications for the Countryside Alliance.
More than just Badgers 
No Justice, Just Us
Posted: February 12, 2015 in CommentTags: Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Fox Hunt, Countryside Alliance, Facebook, hunt saboteur, hunt violence, Hunting with Dogs Act 2004, Lush Cosmetics, Social Media
You may remember I reported on an incident last autumn when the huntsman from the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale hunt deliberately rode down a sab causing her serious and potentially life threatening injuries. The huntsman in question, a Mark Doggerell even admitted he was the rider and was initially charged with grievous bodily harm, however the CPS, in their divine wisdom have chosen not to prosecute citing lack of evidence.
Lack of evidence.
To be honest I’m not really sure what more they would need to gain a successful prosecution seeing as there were eye witnesses and the whole incident was caught on video (see below). It makes shocking viewing, the sab has no idea of what’s about to transpire, the horse is at a full gallop and there’s plenty of space to avoid her. What’s more revealing is Doggerells actions once the impact has taken place. He’s clearly aware of what he’s done and kicks the horse on without even so much as a cursory glance backwards. The worrying thing about all of this is once again it has set a dangerous precedent, it would seem it’s open season on sabs without risk of repercussions. A new generation of hunt thugs will be rubbing their hands with glee knowing they’ll be able to dish out the violence and not face the wrath of the law. It’s not the first time sabs have suffered violence and some have even paid the ultimate price for their beliefs so if you feel as incensed as I and many others feel free to write to the CPS and sign the petition (details below). This kind of decision makes a mockery of our legal system and only further undermines the already fragile relationship with the general public. It would seem, no matter what your crime you really are above the law if you’re from the right demographic. Of course that won’t make one iota of difference to what we do, our principals are unshakable and we’ll continue to fight against the wrongs committed against our wildlife.
Note: Due to the new review of the evidence this video has been removed.
Of course this incident has been quietly ignored by the Countryside Alliance after their PR stunt in the Daily Mail. The hatred stirred up on social media and specifically aimed at the ethical cosmetics company Lush, who have long supported our work is quite frankly ridiculous. Some of the comments coming from the pro hunt lobby on social media would be laughable if it wasn’t such a serious issue. Apparently sabs have dragged children from horses, thrown acid over hounds and beaten horses. I’ve never heard so much unadulterated clap trap in all my life. Writing something on social media doesn’t make it a fact. Saying you witnessed it doesn’t make it a fact. This is clearly nothing more than CA inspired hearsay, fables dream’t up and exaggerated to turn the tide of opinion. Rather than address the real issue which is the cruelty the hunts like to deal out on our wildlife they choose a path of deflection and misinformation, smoke and mirrors to discredit an organisation which causes them so many headaches.
Here’s one particularly incoherent and delusional rant:
“Hunt sabs are vile!!!! Lush supports them!!!!!..i witness them killing a dog when I was 8 years old, i was riding out in the woods and the hunts sabs were chasing down the hunt…any excuse to rebel against anything…lush who???? now I know that I would never buy from them…spread the word! anyone on here saying hunt sabs are animal lovers are a bloody joke…..i was a little girl when i saw that dog get beaten to death and i tell you what i will never ever forget that, they threw things at us and tried to pull us off our ponies…8 years old riding out in the woods, i was not on the hunt just happened to bump into them at the same time, the sabs caught up with them…rot in hell you disgusting vile hunt sabs…and lush cosmetics!!!! LUSH COSMETIC SUPPORTS HUNT SABS!!!!!!!”
Note the impeccable grammar and punctuation, the excessive use of exclamation marks and capitals. This person is literally foaming at the mouth with indignation and all she can muster is something which most likely didn’t happen from her long distant past. Of course a quick look through her profile and you’ll seen lots of connections with the pro hunt lobby so nothing surprising there. There’s little point in trying to reason with these people as reason is, quite frankly, beyond them.
Sabs hold all life dear. The very thought they’d throw acid over or beat animals is unthinkable. Stopping animal suffering is our ethos. The fact none of these spurious claims can be backed up by any hard evidence indicates their legitimacy. Had any child been assaulted the police would have been informed and the incident been in the public domain, no doubt with the full backing of the CA PR machine. It’s funny how, just with a cursory search through Google you’ll find lots of incidents of hunt violence towards sabs and monitors and yet little or nothing to the contrary but then when you’re dealing with the lowest common denominator of society the reality of the situation becomes irrelevant.
Sign the Petition.
Contact the Atourney General.
Email the CPS.