Things have changed over the last couple of days, primarily with the actions of the police during the cull. It has been reported many times before what a complete debacle the police operation (Themis) was in the first year of the cull and one of the primary reasons why the cull cost so much to the public purse. Since then the policing has generally been much more low key in an attempt to keep costs down so the cull can be justified on financial grounds.
This year it appeared the situation would be much the same although there was always a slight undercurrent of bias towards those doing the killing as aggressive behaviour by cullers along with damage to activist cars and multiple breeches of license conditions went uninvestigated or generally ignored. Now it seems the police are overtly taking the side of cull companies and the NFU.
This new action came in the form of multiple arrests (see here) and the new tactic of following activists around as they searched for the low lives doing the killing. There can be only one explanation as to why there has been a sudden change in tack by the police and that is the effectiveness of those defending our badgers.
With a little imagination you can picture the scene, NFU and cull company officials along with land owners signed up to the killing, in a meeting with the local police area commanders . . .
Pixie Henge
“OK we’ve had enough now, we’re running out of cages, we’re just not killing enough of those stripy bastards and all we see is pictures of flattened cages on Facebook. They’re rubbing our noses in it. Those smelly tree huggers are ruining everything.”
“My shooters are reporting that every time they go out someone covered in camo with night vision turns up and starts flashing high power torches all over the place and moves them on”.
“We want action, sort your shit out and start arresting the f*ckers. We need to clear the way and get rid of them, we have targets to meet.”
The NFU of course can dictate Government policy on farming matters so why not the police too?
The worst policing incident was the use of a Section 35 Dispersal Order by Devon and Cornwall Police. The Section 35 was never intended to be used to support the actions of an unelected entity and deny non-violent protest. It would appear at first glance to be in contravention of the human rights act (although I’m no legal eagle) and the area in question was a large one containing badger setts that could then be openly targeted without interference. Unsurprisingly the local councillor is Robin Julian, UKIP member, Freemason and badger killer who breaks the license conditions.
UPDATE: Stop the Cull put out a call for people to contact Devon and Cornwall Police and complain about the use of the Section 35 and it would seem people power proved a success and the order has been withdrawn.
Less understanding people will often ask why put yourself at risk of arrest and claim that the police are only upholding the law. However my answer would be a simple one.
Sometimes, regardless of legality you have to do what you believe is right. Take Nelson Mandela, he was imprisoned for standing up for what he believed in and yet history now views him as the hero. In years to come I hope those involved in fighting this injustice will receive similar treatment. Historically animal rights activists have always been treated as terrorists and there seems to be an institutionalised prejudice by the police again them.
Make no bones about it, what we’re seeing here is the fight by grass roots activists against an undemocratic, immoral, inhuman and downright cruel policy against our wildlife that has been forced on us by a corporate entity with a hidden agenda and way too much influence on Government policy that is now using the police as a personal security force to meet their despicable ends.
And that ladies and gents, simply will not do.
33,841
Posted: September 18, 2017 in CommentTags: Badger Cull, Defra, Hunt Saboteurs, Micheal Gove, NFU, Stop the Cull, Wounded Badger Patrol
That’s the maximum number of badgers that can be killed in this horrific extension of the Governments extermination policy.
Just think about that for a moment.
That’s more than the average attendance of Spurs home matches last season. Imaging the old White Hart Lane with the stands full of dead badgers. There will be vast swathes of the south west and Cheshire where badgers will be wiped out. Setts that have existed for hundreds of years will fall silent. This iconic species relegated to the pages of history, never to return.
I started this blog back in 2014 on the back of the original culls to highlight the injustice taking place in our countryside. Now, almost 4 years and 4 Defra secretaries down the line we’re still fighting the same fight.
The original cull zones (the so-called trials) have been extended until who knows when and with a total of 19 zones you begin to get an idea of the scale of this extermination. There has been no improvement in bTB results (an insignificant reduction in Somerset, an increase in Gloucestershire and a huge increase in Dorset) and yet the Government are wildly blundering ahead with a failing and hugely expensive policy. An expensive policy that you, the tax payer are footing the bill for.
With this being the case you have to ask yourself why this is taking place. I’ve made my point of view patently clear on several occasions and anyone fighting against this grotesque and cruel policy will no doubt have a similar opinion by what they’ve seen first hand. The Government know it’s not going to work but the NFU want it and they will get whatever they want. Badgers (they believe) are a pain in the arse for their members. Being a protected species they can’t be killed legally (although many are illegally killed throughout the year) so this cull is a way to circumnavigate this law.
If they were really concerned with disease control do you think this trap would be left in this state?
There’s no independent monitoring, any moronic bumpkin with a shotgun and a hatred for the wildlife on their land can sign up for the cull in the relevant areas. We’ve already seen time and again that biosecurity rules are being openly flouted. This is about killing as many as possible in the 6 weeks allotted time and bugger the rules. Farms in these zones are often a disgrace, slurry is spread on the fields, animal are kept in disgusting conditions and shooting estates have no livestock anyway, just game birds to protect.
To witness these events first hand is soul destroying. No amount of lobbying, petitions and words are going to change the fact that badgers are being killed now. Sab groups across the country are working their socks off, juggling work and private lives around saving as many lives as possible, taking the action needed night and day in all weathers, whatever the personal and financial cost. The Wounded Badger Patrollers are out there walking the footpaths at night to dissuade shooters. Local people are getting involved where they can but we need more. There can never be enough. Perhaps if you’re reading this you may consider getting in touch with your local sab group and lending a hand. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, but boots on the ground are more important now that ever before.
The cruelty is making the front page in mainstream nation news (Mirror, Sun) and no doubt more will be published soon. In years to come when your children or perhaps grandchildren look back on these dark times for British wildlife and our countryside is a barren monoculture devoid of all wild things will you sit there and regret you did nothing to stop this travesty or will you explain to them you were part of a small but dedicated band of people who stood up to the immorality of the situation and took on the souless men with guns and a Government driven by greed and defeated them with compassion and the will to do the right thing?
“The only thing necessary for the truimph of evil is that good men (and women) do nothing”.
Get out there. Help f*ck some sh*t up.
Hunt Saboteurs
Stop the Cull