On Saturday 10^th December, over 50 hunt saboteurs attended the meet of the South Down & Eridge fox hunt at Old Erringham Farm, north of Shoreham. This Hunt has been increasingly violent to any anti-hunt people during the season and the last time they were attended a catapult was used to fire missiles at people, injuring one female hunt saboteur. Right from the start the hunt tried to run from any observation and one red coat used his whip to attempt to strike people (see link).

Although the hunt was kept in close observation during the day only one attempt to make a false scent was observed, the rest of the day they seemed to be hunting illegally. Towards the end of the day hunt supporters drove quad bikes at hunt saboteurs, blocked access onto to public access land, punched people and finally attempted to gain access to force their way into a vehicle punching anyone who tried to resist.

These are not isolated incidents, but a continuous campaign to prevent anyone observing the hunts activities, and trying to make sure they stay within the bounds of the hunting act. If they are hunting legally why do they try to hide?

The South Downs is now a national park run by the South Downs National Park Authority, and it has to be questioned why they allow such activities in the national park, when they will be liable for any incidents of illegal hunting?

All incidents were reported to the Sussex police.

Further information see:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=via7ciOVwJ8&feature=youtu.be

http://hsa.enviroweb.org/index.php/news/58-press-release/321-hunt-saboteurs-association-press-release-13th-of-november-2011