Hunt supporter arrested after vicious attack on hunt monitor

HSA news release 14th January 2006

Hunt supporter arrested after vicious attack on hunt monitor

Police Helicopter called in after 999 call

A hunt supporter was arrested yesterday at a meet of the Golden Valley Fox Hounds after he was alleged to have attacked an anti-hunt monitor, injuring him then smashing and stealing his video camera. The hunt met at Rhosgoch, approx 4 miles north of Hay On Wye, Powys at 10.45am on Saturday 14th January and within 15 minutes of the hunt setting off monitors present witnessed blatant illegal hunting, and started to capture evidence through the use of video cameras. A hunt supporter present is then alleged to have launched an unprovoked and vicious attack on the person filming, dragging him off the bonnet of a Land Rover and then smashing the camera. He then also assaulted another monitor who was attempting to help his friend, and finally grabbed a female protestor around the neck before deciding to flee the scene.

Dawn Preston, spokesperson for the Hunt Saboteurs Association, stated “Here we have yet another attack on hunt monitors seemingly provoked as the hunt and their supporters don’t want to be caught on camera showing a complete disregard for the law. A 999 call had to be made due to the severity of the attack, which we believe the police are treating as ‘Robbery with violence’, and 3 police vehicles and a helicopter were brought in to help make an arrest. Whilst we thank the police for taking this attack seriously, we have to question why such resources are not directed to making sure the Hunting Act itself is enforced and so we wouldn’t even have to be present in the first place!”

She continued “The hunt monitors present were very lucky to get away without serious injuries, as it seems the attacker had no regard for the consequences of his actions. The monitor with the video camera was stood on the bonnet of a Land Rover, so as to get a good vantage point on the hunt. The attacker grabbed him by his ankles and dragged him to the floor had he hit his head on the way down this could all too easily have been so much worse. It’s a very sad individual indeed who is so desperate to see the death of a fox that he attacks without restraint anyone who seeks to expose or prevent that.”

Notes to Editors

• The Hunt Saboteurs Association has been in existence for over 40 years, and continues as an organisation keeping the pressure on hunts to work within the law (not by bending the law!).
• The video camera has replaced the hunting horn as the primary tool of ‘sabotaging’ a hunt in the post-ban era.
• Violence against our members has continued since Hunting with Dogs was ostensibly outlawed in February 2005.