SABOTAGING HUNTS: JUNE ROUND UP – THE FRONTLINES 

[Image credit: @nottinghamhuntsabs] 

The supplementary badger cull begun at the start of the month and so has the mobilisation hunt saboteurs, anti-cull activists and members of the public who are checking setts for signs of being baited or tampered with. Some groups have posted evidence of healthy badger activity but things can change quickly. Derbyshire Against The Cull, for example, has been concerned about the presence of a known badger-killer who has been regularly spotted near a hotspot culling area, though hasn’t had the chance to go shooting due to the groups presence.  

Ambitious for an end to the badger cull, Northamptonshire Badger Group advised to ‘vote wisely’ in the general election, hoping that the main opposition party (who are predicted to form the next successive government) would abandon the murderous policy. However, the badger group later confirmed that the Labour party will allow pre-existing cull licenses to continue. Though its unsurprising to many, it is worth noting that legality has little bearing on the protection of wildlife and though there isn’t justice, there is us. 

Saboteurs from Nottingham, Sheffield, Lincoln and West Midlands foiled plans by the Dove Valley Mink Hounds to hunt the River Trent. As they did last month, on discovering the presence of saboteurs, the hunt resorted to walking back to the meet and were escorted back to the kennels. Despite the fact that Mink and Otter hound pacts are notoriously covert, they continue to be apprehended.  

The Cottesmore Hunt are continuing to have a hard time as Northants Hunt Saboteurs keeps up the pressure during an open day at the kennels and a fun ride. Both of these are recruiting drives to recruit new members and raise money. The presence of saboteurs and protesters, highlighting the brutal reality of hunting is bad for business as it puts off any new interest they may have and also discourages existing members as they may not want to be publicly seen to be supporting the murder of innocent wild animals. This is one tactic that has been applied consistently as part of a pressure campaign. Simultaneous action overtime, using different tactics, is a proven method to shutting down a hunt for good. Sheffield Hunt Saboteurs also held a protest against a fundraising event held by the Grove and Rufford Hunt.  

After freeing a severely injured corvid from a Larsen trap, Underground Badger Syndicate  sent a clear message to a gamekeeper by dealing with three high seats, three larsens, a ladder trap, multiple fens and a fox cage. In a social media post including a video of what they got up to, they stated ‘you destroy lives, we destroy your shoot’.

Herefordshire Hunt Saboteurs, who also dealt with two types of spring traps and poison hoppers, have a similar message; ‘direct action saves lives’. 

Any information about wildlife killing fundraisers, Mink/Otter hunts, the location of traps, tools and infrastructure used to kill and anything dodgy or suspicious relating to the interference or ill-treatment of wildlife should be reported to your local hunt sabotage group. Unsure of your local group? Contact the Hunt Saboteurs Association’s tip-off line at 07443148426 or via social media. The smallest bit of information could make the biggest different to an innocent life.

NO LIFE LIKE THE WILD

TAKE CONCRETE ACTION 2: PULP FICTION – CLIMATE CAMP & BLOCKADE AGAINST THE PULP INDUSTRY, STORA ENSO SWEDEN

Between June 15-19, around 300 activists from different parts of Europe and the Nordics gathered for a climate camp in Gävle, Sweden.

The camp was organized by the Take Concrete Action network, which previously organized a camp and blockade against the cement factory Cementa on Gotland in 2022. (Link: https://youtu.be/zROOiTOEafE)

At the camp in Gävle, folks from the radical movement came together with people from the broad environmental one, you could make contacts, there were opportunities for learning, and to mobilize future climate actions. One could contribute to the escalation needed in the climate struggle.

The camp had a schedule filled with interesting talks. It was five days with, among other things, anti-colonial perspectives, reports from anti-fascists, information on anti-repression. There was a good atmosphere in the camp, with vegan food, and action training. On Monday, June 15, it was time for mass action, when more than a hundred activists blocked two entrances to Stora Enso’s pulp factory in Gävle. Stora Enso is an international pulp company, which depletes forests around the world, which has fatal consequences for non-human animals, and minority groups, for example in both Sweden and Uruguay.

The day of action began on Sunday night, when the activists gathered and made their way to the action site and structured themselves into friend groups and finger formations. Of course, they were closely pursued by cops, who awkwardly stumbled around the forest in useless attempts to keep track of the activists. When the activists marched towards the industrial building, singing “Tout Le Monde Dèteste La Police”, there were police cars both in front and behind the demonstration train. Nevertheless, the demonstration reached its goal.

Arriving at Stora Enso, the activists split into two groups, one finger blocking the West Gate, and another finger blocking the East Entrance. At 07:00 the blockade began, after which it did not end until 10 hours later. At 17:00 the activists chose to end the blockade. Then they had caused trouble for Stora Enso’s operations all day, prevented transport from getting in and out of the area.

The blockade was also well attended by journalists and cops (from at least three different police regions). Of course, representatives from Stora Enso refused to publicly comment on the activists’ criticism of their environmentally destructive activities.

Overall, the camp was well organized and inspiring. Activists met, exchanged experiences and started new fruitful relationships. The action, the blockade against Stora Enso, was successful and showed what can be achieved when enough people gather and take direct action together. We can shut down what destroys us, and expose the crap companies. It will be exciting to see what the next climate camp with Take Concrete Action mobilizes resistance against.

WE SHUT SHIT DOWN

Take Concrete Actions website: https://www.takeconcreteaction.info/

AND THE FUR FARM RAID SEASON HAS OFFICIALLY BEGUN! – JUNE DIRECT ACTION ROUND UP

In the month of June we have heavily focused on raising funds for the Susaron prisoners by selling t-shirts and tote bags. You’ll be happy to hear that the pre-orders have now finished and you won’t see us promoting it any longer! 

We still don’t know how much money we’ve managed to raise (we will only know once we post all the parcels and pay for the postage), but we are hoping to have made a decent amount to support them in prison!

We also celebrated our 8th anniversary as a collective. Who would’ve thought we’d still be kicking after eight years!

Lastly on the prisoner support corner, we wrote about Marius needing support in order to get gender affirming surgery in prison. You can still help today!

In the direct action corner it looks like Denmark was busy this month. It was also interesting to see the first fur farm raid of the season, where people opened every fox cage at a fur farm in USA.

By country, the number of reported direct actions in June are: 



DENMARK: 3

UK: 3
USA: 1
ARGENTINA: 1

As always, if you appreciate the work that we do and would like to support us, please send us some coins.

Paypal: [email protected]
Patreon: www.patreon.com/animalliberation

WRITE A LETTER TO SINDRE TODAY!

UPDATE 1st JULY:

Sindre has been granted longer leaves from detention and is sometimes sleeping at home now. He is still serving his sentence, which does not have a final date and psych hospital has the last word on when Sindre is done serving a sentence that without the mental hospital would’ve been a four month prison sentence. Please write a letter to Sindre today and send him love!

Sindre is an animal rights activist, 21 years old, from so-called Sweden. Sindre is a kind and respected comrade in the animal rights community, who has fought against animal abusers in various ways.

In October 2023, Sindre was sentenced to forensic psychiatric forced care. The verdict refers to prosecution for actions in 2021, against the former fur farmer Niklas Pettersson. Sindre denies the alleged crime. Sindre was also sentenced to pay SEK 10,000 in damages to Niklas. The sentence was appealed, but later in 2023 The Court of Appeal upheld the verdict. If Sindre had not been sentenced to forensic psychiatric care, his prison sentence would have been only four months.

Sindre was detained immediately after the trial, on the ninth of October, and has since been imprisoned without an end date. A horrible sentence!

Support Sindre!

Help him endure behind bars, let him know he’s not alone. Send letters to the following address:

Sindre Annasson Persson

Rudolf Jonassons väg 25B

24136 Eslöv

Sweden

SIX HOURS LEFT TO ORDER BAGS TO RAISE FUNDS FOR SUSARON!

At 18:00 GMT+1 , Monday 1st July, we will shut down the pre orders for hoodies and tshirts to raise funds for susaron prisoners. We will not print extras. We will not have more. Today is the last day you can order them.

Every single penny on profit will go to support the prisoners accused of arson at a meat packaging plant in Chile. You get some threads, they get legal support and vegan food!

Please donate generously, grab yourself some merch and support folks who fight on the frontlines.

Find it here:

https://unoffensiveanimal.is/product-category/susaron

SOLIDARITY IS OUR BIGGEST WEAPON!