© 2024 Hunt Saboteurs Association
Two West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs (WMHS) have been informed that Leicestershire police are trying to issue them with a Police Information
Notice(PIN) following allegations made by the Atherstone hunt.
Over the last season, the two sabs in question attended the Atherstone Hunt on a regular basis, where they gained footage of illegal hunting, assaults, racist behaviour and blocked badger setts. Currently one of the sabs is a witness in a court case concerning the illegal blocking of badger setts. The prospective witness also believes followers of the hunt have been to her home address and committed criminal damage to two vehicles, which the hunt have openly boasted about.
Atherston Hunt Supporters Letter To Police
The police are accusing the sabs of goading and harassing a member of the hunt. When asked by the sab’s solicitor if they will be serving the hunt with any PINs in response to their law breaking the police replied that they will merely be speaking to the hunt regarding their behaviour.
All of the allegations made by the hunt against WMHS this season have been proven to be false. So the police are now helping the hunt by grossly
misusing a Police Information Notice, which they don’t need any evidence to issue. They can base it on any allegations made to them, no matter if
they are unsubstantiated. West Mids sabs have video evidence of this particular hunt member assaulting and harassing sabs but the police would
rather act on unsubstantiated allegations by the hunt.
Recently WMHS received a copy of a letter from the Atherstone Hunt Masters to it’s supporters regarding the 2014/2015 hunting season. The letter shows that the police were advising the hunt during this season and had even been out undercover with them. The police had been advising the hunt on it’s behaviour and had also given advice regarding video footage that the sab group posted online. The letter states “To continue having good sport, we all have to do our bit to discourage the saboteurs/monitors by following the advice of the police”.
Lee Moon, Spokesperson for the Hunt Saboteurs Association, stated: “In our opinion this is a gross misuse of PINs. By issuing them Leicestershire
police are trying to suppress the right to protest and this must be contested so this does not become a common tactic used against hunt saboteurs and other protest groups.
The Hunt letter also proves that the police are once again taking the side of hunts and are turning a blind eye to repeated criminal behaviour on
their part. They are further misusing powers to aid illegal hunting. We would like to hear how Leicestershire police can justify their behaviour and we hope they start allocating greater resources to illegal hunting rather than persecuting innocent protestors ”
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