In a letter to hunt supporters (27th September 2018), Tim Bonner, Chief Executive of the Countryside Alliance, writes:
“The challenges facing hunts are, however, constantly changing. In the last couple of seasons the primary concern for many has again become hunt saboteurs. Although still small in numbers their targeted, and obsessive campaigns can have a significant impact on the operation and reputation of individual hunts and hunting as a whole. The growth of social media and video sharing has encouraged a new hunt saboteur strategy using provocation and lies to show hunts in a bad light.
“The Alliance will, therefore, be running a new campaign with the hunting associations in the 2018/19 season to expose the individuals involved and put pressure on the authorities to address their activities. We have had real success in changing the law on the removal of face coverings and in encouraging some police forces to use the powers available to them to tackle saboteur activity. Now we need to see all police forces tackling hunt saboteurs involved in harassment, anti-social behaviour and violence in the countryside.”
In 2009 Bonner tried to stop the Sussex Wildlife Protection group filming the activities Crawley and Horsham Hunt in a “ground-breaking legal bid”. Having lost the case, the Crawley and Horsham Hunt were subsequently twice convicted of illegal hunting.
