Hunt Saboteurs Association

Last updated

Hunt Saboteurs Association
Formation1963 (59 years ago)
FounderJohn Prestige
Founded at Brixham, England
Type Animal rights group
Legal statusActive
PurposeNon-violent[ citation needed ] direct action against fox hunting
Region
United Kingdom (with international affiliates)
MethodsDirect action, hunt sabotage
Membership (2021)
58 affiliated groups
SecessionsBand of Mercy/Animal Liberation Front (1972)
Website www.huntsabs.org.uk

The Hunt Saboteurs Association (HSA) is a United Kingdom organisation that uses hunt sabotage as a means of direct action to stop fox hunting. [1] It was founded in 1963, with its first sabotage event occurring at the South Devon Foxhounds on 26 December (Boxing Day) 1963. [2] [3]

Contents

History

In 1963, John Prestige founded the Hunt Saboteurs Association in Brixham, England, after being assigned to report on the Devon and Somerset Staghounds, where "he witnessed the hunters drive a deer into a village and kill her." [4]

Within a year, HSA affiliates were founded across England in Devon, Somerset, Avon, Birmingham, Hampshire and Surrey; the HSA now operates throughout Europe and North America. [ citation needed ]

Ronnie Lee, founder of the animal rights group Band of Mercy (a forerunner to the Animal Liberation Front), began his activism with an HSA group in Luton, England.

Tactics

The HSA uses tactics including hunting horns and whistles to misdirect hounds, spraying scent dullers, laying false trails, and locking gates to interfere with the progress of a hunt. [5] In the mid-1990s, members used a "gizmo" (a portable cassette tape player linked up to a megaphone or other portable amplification equipment) to play the sound of hounds in cry, causing the dogs to break off the chase. These are documented examples of HSA tactics. [6]

The HSA has expanded into Europe, Canada and the United States, and have adapted their tactics depending on the type of hunting being disrupted. The HSA have disrupted deer, waterfowl, turkey, mink and hare hunts, as well as angling and other types of fishing. [7] As a result, some[ which? ] US states have passed laws forbidding the disruption of legal hunting activities. [8]

HSA UK has published a quarterly journal, Howl since 1973.

Controversy

Hunt saboteurs have been seriously injured after clashes with hunters. [9] [10]

A public order act was created to help control HSA members on private land. Part V Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 (CJPOA) Section 68(1) created offences in connection with trespass by hunt saboteurs, including giving police officers the power to "direct trespassers on land (who are there with the common purpose of residing there for any period) to leave the land where the occupier has taken steps to ask them to do so, and either: they have damaged the land; or they have used threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour to the occupier, the occupier's family, employees or agents; or between them they have 6 or more vehicles on the land". [11]

The Act also created the offence of aggravated trespass which was formed (in part) to give the police power over HSA members and actions: "a person commits the offence of aggravated trespass if he trespasses on land in the open air and, in relation to any lawful activity which persons are engaging in or are about to engage in on that or adjoining land in the open air, does there anything which is intended by him to have the effect: a) of intimidating those persons or any of them so as to deter them or any of them from engaging in that activity, b) of obstructing that activity, or c) of disrupting that activity". [12] [13]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hunting</span> Searching, pursuing, and killing wild animals

Hunting is the human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to exploit the animal's body for meat and useful animal products, for recreation/taxidermy, although it may also be done for non-exploitative reasons such as removing predators dangerous to humans or domestic animals, to eliminate pests and nuisance animals that damage crops/livestock/poultry or spread diseases, for trade/tourism, or for ecological conservation against overpopulation and invasive species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fox hunting</span> Traditional equestrian hunting activity

Fox hunting is a traditional activity involving the tracking, chase and, if caught, the killing of a fox, normally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds. A group of unarmed followers, led by a "master of foxhounds", follow the hounds on foot or on horseback.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spotlighting</span> Method of hunting nocturnal animals

Spotlighting or lamping is a method of hunting nocturnal animals using off-road vehicles and high-powered lights, spotlights, lamps or flashlights, that makes special use of the eyeshine revealed by many animal species. A further important aspect is that many animals often remain to continually stare at the light and do not appear to see the light as a threat as they normally would view a human. It is possible to carefully approach animals on foot to a short distance if the bright light is continuously maintained on the animal to greatly improve chances of successful killing. Spotlighting may also be used as a method of surveying nocturnal fauna. Repeated, frequent spotlighting may have a detrimental effect on animals and is discouraged.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hunting Act 2004</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Hunting Act 2004 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which bans the hunting of most wild mammals with dogs in England and Wales, subject to some strictly limited exemptions; the Act does not cover the use of dogs in the process of flushing out an unidentified wild mammal, nor does it affect drag hunting, where hounds are trained to follow an artificial scent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rabbiting</span> Sport of hunting rabbits

Rabbiting is the sport of hunting rabbits. It often involves using ferrets or dogs to track or chase the prey. There are various methods used in capturing the rabbit, including trapping and shooting. Depending on where the hunting occurs, there may be licenses required and other rules in regards to methods being used.

Hunt sabotage is the direct action that animal rights activists and animal liberation activists undertake to interfere with hunting activity.

Ronnie Lee is a British animal rights activist. He is known primarily for being the Press Officer for the UK Animal Liberation Front (ALF) in 1976. He also founded the magazine Arkangel in 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It introduced a number of changes to the law, most notably in the restriction and reduction of existing rights, clamping down on unlicensed rave parties, and greater penalties for certain "anti-social" behaviours. The Bill was introduced by Michael Howard, Home Secretary of Prime Minister John Major's Conservative government, and attracted widespread opposition.

Legislation on hunting with dogs is in place in many countries around the world. Legislation may regulate, or in some cases prohibit the use of dogs to hunt or flush wild animal species.

The Rivers Access Campaign is an ongoing initiative by the British Canoe Union (BCU) to open up the inland waterways of England and Wales to the public. Under current English and Welsh law, public access to rivers is restricted, and only 2% of all rivers in England and Wales have public access rights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deer hunting</span> Practice/activity of hunting deer

Deer hunting is hunting deer for meat and sport, an activity which dates back tens of thousands of years. Venison, the name for deer meat, is a nutritious and natural food source of animal protein that can be obtained through deer hunting. There are many different types of deer around the world that are hunted for their meat. For sport, often hunters try to kill deer with the largest and most antlers to score them using inches. There are two different categories of antlers. They are typical and nontypical. They measure tine length, beam length, and beam mass by each tine. They will add all these measurements up to get a score. This score is the score without deductions. Deductions occur when the opposite tine is not the same length as it is opposite. That score is the deducted score.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Opposition to hunting</span> Movement against hunting

Opposition to hunting is espoused by people or groups who object to the practice of hunting, often seeking anti-hunting legislation and sometimes taking on acts of civil disobedience, such as hunt sabotage. Anti-hunting laws, such as the English Hunting Act 2004, are generally distinguishable from conservation legislation like the American Marine Mammal Protection Act by whether they seek to reduce or prevent hunting for perceived cruelty-related reasons or to regulate hunting for conservation, although the boundaries of distinction are sometimes blurred in specific laws, for example when endangered animals are hunted.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Otis Ferry</span> British model and fox hunting enthusiast

Charles Frederick Otis Ferry is a British model and pro-fox hunting enthusiast. He has served as joint master of the South Shropshire hunt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scottish criminal law</span>

Scots criminal law relies far more heavily on common law than in England and Wales. Scottish criminal law includes offences against the person of murder, culpable homicide, rape and assault, offences against property such as theft and malicious mischief, and public order offences including mobbing and breach of the peace. Scottish criminal law can also be found in the statutes of the UK Parliament with some areas of criminal law, such as misuse of drugs and traffic offences appearing identical on both sides of the Border. Scottish criminal law can also be found in the statute books of the Scottish Parliament such as the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 and Prostitution (Scotland) Act 2007 which only apply to Scotland. In fact, the Scots requirement of corroboration in criminal matters changes the practical prosecution of crimes derived from the same enactment. Corroboration is not required in England or in civil cases in Scotland. Scots law is one of the few legal systems that require corroboration.

Burglary is a statutory offence in England and Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cottesmore Hunt</span> Foxhound pack in Cottesmore, Britain

The Cottesmore Hunt, which hunts mostly in Rutland, is one of the oldest foxhound packs in Britain, with origins dating back to 1666. Its name comes from the village of Cottesmore where the hounds were kennelled.

The Crawley and Horsham Hunt is a United Kingdom foxhound pack, with hunting country of around 23 miles by 20 miles within the ceremonial county of Sussex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) is a statute of the Parliament of the United Kingdom enacted by the coalition government of 2010-2015, creating reforms to the justice system. The bill for the act was introduced in the House of Commons on 21 June 2011, and received Royal Assent on 1 May 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Hound Sports Association</span> Governing body for hunting in Great Britain

The British Hound Sports Association (BHSA) is the governing body for many hound sports associations in Great Britain. However, it is not the governing body for either draghound packs or bloodhound packs who are governed by the Master of Draghound & Bloodhounds Association (MDBA). The BHSA is responsible for setting standards and rules to which members and registered hunts are supposed to adhere. A sister organisation, the Hound Sports Regulatory Authority (HSRA), is responsible for regulatory and disciplinary matters for members and member hunts, in accordance with rules set by the BHSA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Devon Hunt</span> Foxhound pack in Devon, England

The South Devon Hunt or South Devon Foxhounds is a foxhound pack in Devon, England. The country spans an area entirely within the county of Devon, predominantly on the East side of Dartmoor, out to the sea. Traditionally, the country was the land between the River Exe and the River Dart from Exeter to Totnes.

References

  1. "Meet The People Who Throw Themselves In Front Of Hunters". The Dodo. 15 December 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  2. "Ten years on from the fox hunting ban, has anything really changed?". www.telegraph.co.uk. 14 July 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  3. "History of the HSA-timeline". www.huntsabs.org.uk. 3 October 2022.
  4. Best, Steven (ed), Terrorists or Freedom Fighters?, Lantern Books, 2004
  5. "HSA Tactics Book". Archived from the original on 3 February 2007. Retrieved 12 December 2006.
  6. "About the HSA". Hunt Saboteurs Association. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  7. "huntsab.org". Wayback Machine . Archived from the original on 7 October 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  8. Yount, Lisa (2007). Animal Rights. Infobase Publishing. ISBN   978-1-4381-3063-7.
  9. "Hunt saboteurs' car 'rammed' in Nottinghamshire". BBC. 18 March 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  10. Gayle, Damien (26 December 2018). "Anti-hunt protester taken to hospital after Boxing Day clashes". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  11. "Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994". legislation.gov.uk . 1 January 2006. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  12. "Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994" . Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  13. "Trespass and Nuisance on Land" . Retrieved 31 May 2015.