Category: The Frontlines

[Image credit: @mendiphuntsabs] 

Fox and Hare hunting season are in full swing. With every hunt sabotage group and monitor group active in some capacity, some being out multiple times a week, there are by far too many reports and hit reports to include here. However, here’s some things we want to mention.  

The first Saturday of the month saw Glasgow Hunt Sabs visit two separate hunts on the same day. They first started with The Border Hunt, who travelled into Scotland for the day, and were limited to hunting with two hounds due to legal restrictions, and followed by the Jed Forest hunt with no kills reported.  Likewise, saboteurs from Bristol, Bath and Wiltshire kept the pressure on the Tedworth Hunt until they packed up, and moved on to the Beaufort Hunt. No kills were also reported.

A member of Mendip Hunt Sabs was beaten up and had equipment stolen whilst with the Mendip Hunt who were digging out a fox who had taken refuge underground in a badger sett.  They reported that the victim was taken to A&E due to concerning swelling around their temple, but was later confirmed to not have sustained any permanent damage. However, the health care professionals stressed that the saboteur was lucky. Despite the attack, the presence of the saboteurs prevented the dig-out and later saw the hunted fox leave to live another day. 

Dangerous behaviour was also seen, reported by North London Hunt Sabs, at a meet of the Puckeridge with Essex Union where one hunt supporter wielded a knife. Also, a pumpkin was thrown at their vehicle whilst in motion, which could’ve easily caused a crass or went through their windscreen, and some mounted hunt supporters attempted to charge and whip people. Regardless, the sab group managed to get on with disrupting the hunt and was also able to dedicate a team to De Burgh & North Essex Bassets along with neighbouring sabotage groups after receiving a tip-off. This hare hunting pack have historically been difficult to track down but were intercepted three times within November.  

Glasgow Hunt Sabs, following their success the previous week, reported that the Jed Forest Hunt had killed a fox in front of saboteurs who were present. Despite the change in legislation in Scotland, putting further limits and conditions on hunting, wild animals will suffer and be killed. In a social media post, the sab group reaffirmed their determination to continue by stating ‘we will not stop until there is an all out ban on fox hunting’.  

Wiltshire Hunt Sabs also experienced a kill whist sabbing the Beaufort Hunt, which was documented using a drone. Knowing how damning this evidence is, the hunt responded by using their own drone to force the sab groups out of the sky. Though they were able to keep the footage, their drone was stolen. Hunting continued following the kill but the sab group confirmed that they were successful in stopping any further kills from taking place. Drones have become an important part of hunt sabotage as well as monitoring and has time and again provided evidence no one can argue with, as seen by West Midlands Hunt Sabs recent published footage of the Dummer Beagles hunting a hare. 

Situations like the ones described above are unpleasant and stressful to say the least. So messages of support are greatly appreciated. It is also worth noting that saboteurs should not have to have to experience violence, traumatic experiences and other difficult situations to prompt support, so we would encourage people to reach out to their local group or elsewhere to thank them for what they do. Donations also help to go a long way!

Any information about hunts or shoots, wildlife killing fundraisers, 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 wildlife life.

NO LIFE LIKE THE WILD 

[Image credit: @thegreatunwashed_] 

Similar to September, October has been an intense month. Fox hunts continued to relentlessly hunt fox cubs as well as the government sanctioned culling of badgers.  

For some, action against the badger cull didn’t stop. Underground Badger Syndicate and The Great Unwashed have both been successful in finding and dealing with cages, though have each stated the exhaustion of the search and the reality of what the wildlife is up against. In one post, UBS put it bluntly by saying that there is so much ‘death and destruction’ and that setts ‘targeted for years are starting to fade’. Likewise, TGU referred to the ongoing situation as ‘bleak’ and asks the question on many minds; ‘when the fuck will it end’?  

Well, it would appear the answer is not with the new Labour government, as Natural England, a public body connected to the UK Governments’ Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (who are responsible for the cull) finally published the redacted licenses that detail the minimum and maximum quotas for each zone and confirmed a new zone was authorised in Cumbria. Adding them together, over 10,000 could be murdered. 

It must be said though that it is widely believed that the cull has given a green light for the illegal persecution of badgers and culling in itself is very loosely regulated – the true extent of badger suffering and murder can only be speculated but could be much worse.  

Despite this, action continued to be taken (and will continue in the supplementary zones) throughout October. In addition to the above mentioned, Liverpool Hunt Saboteurs, Sheffield Hunt Saboteurs, Derbyshire Against the Cull and Cornwall Against The Badger Culls have noticeably been the most active and seen to be sending free shooters away and removing bait points. Derbyshire Against the Cull is uploaded an appreciation post which thanked their supporters for messages of support and confirmed how important this helped to keep them going. Messages such as this, whether it is aimed at a badger group, hunt sabotage group or a lone individual taking action can make a huge difference is strongly encouraged by us.  

A standard cull license is 6 weeks long which would normally finish in mid-October, though many often get extensions. This was the case this year with a number of zones being granted extra time to kill, later confirmed to have been finished by the end of October.  

The hunting of fox cubs, for the purpose of training new hounds and dispersing foxes ahead of the main hunting season, has been ongoing since the start of September. It is a relentless period where fox hunts go out up to 5 times a week, giving little chance for young wildlife. It is by far the most controversial part of hunting and is a PR-nightmare for the image of ‘trail hunting’ that they attempt to portray. Because of this, the presence of saboteurs can be enough to spoil their efforts, as seen by Kent Hunt who decided to not attend their own meet after they were apprehended by Kent Hunt Saboteurs. Similarly, the West Sussex Hunt Saboteurs forced the Chiddingford Leconfield & Cowdray Hunt to pack up and leave 45 minutes after unboxing the hounds, which they claim may be their quickest sab.  

Some groups have also been able to shut down multiple hunts in a single day. Northants Hunt Saboteurs, after packing up the notorious Cottesmore Hunt, then received a tip off and proceeded to also pack up the Pipewell Foot Beagles. In a hit report, they concluded ‘this is what we are set out to do’.  

Not all interactions with a hunt can be successful though. It is worth remembering that the odds are often against hunted and skill of saboteurs can sometimes only assist them so much. Despite their efforts, a fox was killed at the opening meet of the Seavington Hunt, who were clearly worried that they had been caught on camera after they attempted to conceal and dispose of the body. In the published video, it is clear that hunt staff, rather than celebrate their intended result, panic. Saboteurs cannot stop all kills, but can certainly make the huntsman’s (and all who are participating) experience as terrible as possible and not letting them have a good time.  

Other opening meets (the first hunt of the main season) for other hunts across the country took place at the end of October, some of which were during the week rather than a Saturday – showing a clear attempt to avoid saboteurs during a significant day for them. Again, saboteurs can’t always be present but this is a clear example of how sabotage has altered their movements. Having an opening meet on a week day does in fact have an effect on their attendance of supporters, which is a factor in their income stream. And like many other campaigns, if you keep hitting their pocket, things start to change and can result in them crumbling altogether.  

One specific hunt who’ve had a terrible time is the Eastern Counties Mink Hounds. While most mink and otter hunting packs have finished for the year, this particular hunt felt they’d try one last meet. Also unlike others, they seemingly only go out once a month which makes them an appropriate target for a campaign. It is believed that they have only been able to hunt without the presence of saboteurs once this year, and every time they’ve had company they have had no choice but to give up. On this occasion, South of Norfolk Hunt Saboteurs, along with Suffolk and Essex Hunt Saboteurs, arrived to wish the hunts master an unhappy birthday after they were caught shoulder-deep in water, hunting. A stand-off ensued, with a heated confrontation, but this is seen as a reflection of the success of stopping them multiple times throughout the season. And sure enough, they were forced to give up once again.  

Any information about wildlife killing fundraisers, hunting, 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 wildlife life.

NO LIFE LIKE THE WILD 

[Image credit: @undergroundbadgersyndicate] 

September is a busy time of year for those fighting for wildlife, with the beginning of the intensive badger cull, the peak of fox cub and hare leveret hunting, stag hunting and ongoing trap-smashing.  

Natural England, a public body connected to the UK Governments’ Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (who are responsible for the cull) have yet to publish their annual badger ‘control’ authorisation documents, which confirms culling operations, but this is expected as these documents are getting published later and later each year. It is speculated that they would rather not draw attention to it, as the minimum and maximum targets (how many badgers may get killed) is controversial to many. Also, it is likely that a new zone will be included in Cumbria following the publishing of a consultation document, which would confirm that the new Labour party government aren’t actually intending of reducing the cull, let alone stopping it. Regardless, existing cull zones were almost guaranteed to continue and was soon confirmed by the discovery of bait points, free shooters and badger cages. Though culling continues, so does action against it. Devon County Hunt Sabs, as one example, have been busy checking known vulnerable setts and have been successful in finding ‘metal contraptions’ as well as sending shooters on their way. Likewise, Liverpool Hunt Sabs have intercepted free shooters multiple times and removed bait points, while Cheshire Against the Cull also successfully foiled plans to murder badgers. Cage traps have also been ruined by Cornwall Against the Culls, The Great Unwashed and Underground Badger Syndicate. Action against the cull can feel relentless and difficult to evaluate the impact but Derbyshire Against the Cull, who have also been consistently successful at stopping free shooters, published an important message after they gathered evidence of life at a sett that has been targeted since 2020; ‘then you see this on the trail camera and realise that every cold, wet, tired minute spent there was absolutely worth it’. Sheffield Hunt Sabs have also been busy with the cull, and also got in trouble with the cops for “stealing badger setts”, whatever that means.

Various traps have also been stamped out of action by Underground Badger Syndicate and The Great Unwashed, some of which during the cull; reaffirming the importance of surveying. The largest collection of traps was published at the start of the month and featured an array of mammal traps of various sizes and shapes, which have since been reshaped and no longer useable.  

Saboteurs from Mendip and Dorset have continued their efforts against stag hunting. Not many packs of stag hounds exist but their impact is consistently brutal, with the odds being largely against the hunted animal as they have to also contend with many bloodthirsty supporters who go to great lengths to making sure there is no escape. It was reported that an exhausted stag was killed, following a long chase, though others were able to escape. Though any kill is tragic, it is important to remember that it is in recent history that stag hunts were largely untouchable due to the serious violence inflicted on saboteurs and monitors. It is true that this continues to be a risk, they have been faced with a refreshed determination of saboteurs who are putting them under pressure, which is working. Without these efforts, many more stags would have undoubtably been killed, as proven by hit reports throughout the last few years. 

September is the peak period of cub-hunting; beginning in August and runs until the main hunting season begins in October. Fox hunts have been relentless at their attempts to kill young foxes during this ‘training’ period. However, saboteurs in every direction have been doing their upmost to stop this as much as possible, both at dawn and dusk. This form of hunting is extremely damning to the image they badly attempt to maintain, considering the nature of how it works; where hounds are set against vulnerable young foxes who have little chance of escaping. During this most controversial period in the hunting calendar, the governing bodies of hunting attempted a ‘national trail hunting day’, which they hoped would gain the media attention it desperately needs to obtain any credibility in their lies. This failed miserably. Arguably, it was a terrible time to attempt such a PR event, considering the consistent brutality carried out throughout the month. Their failure is very much welcome though!

The PR-nightmare that is cub-hunting is also applicable to hare-hunting beagle and basset packs, who have also been taken out to train against leverets. Hare hunting in itself is more controversial to the public than fox hunting, especially so when hunting young hares. It is commonplace for these hunts to pack up quickly on the arrival of sabs, which is exactly what happened when the Downland Beagles were caught attempting to hunt during a main season meet at the end of the month by saboteurs from Kent, Brighton, South Coast and South Thames.  

On the same day, the Thurlow Hunt were foiled by North London Hunt Sabs together with East Northants Hunt Sabs. During the cub-hunt meet, hounds chased a fox to an artificial earth, which is a combination of pipes and chambers built underground used to encourage foxes to reside for the purposes of hunting. Saboteurs often record and document what happens during a hunt, and this is an example of why that it is important; to publish and expose the reality of hunting, counteracting their false rhetoric.  

An example of negative PR and mounting pressure was also seen in an arguably surprising development after it was reported that the Ministry of Defence have not granted any licenses for ‘trail hunting’, as seen in a published response from a freedom of information request which states that 11 hunts applied for licenses. This is a significant blow, especially for the Royal Artillery Hunt who spend the majority of their hunting season within MOD land. Whether the hunts abide by this or not is yet to be seen, as trespass is a regular occurrence. However, it’s a lose-lose situation; they either commit and jeopardize personal and professional relationships and bring more negative attention to themselves, with possible legal ramifications, or admit defeat and have less land to hunt. The tactic of limiting the area in which a hunt can operate is a sure step to making a hunt unworkable and is only a matter of time if it also coincides with a myriad of other tactics and approaches.

Any information about wildlife killing fundraisers, hunting, 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 wildlife life.

NO LIFE LIKE THE WILD 

Its been six years since you were murdered fighting Daesh in Deir-ez-Zor.

Six years is a long time, and yet your memory is so incredibly tangible in every step we take. You taught so much to all who knew you; your curiosity, your capacity to listen, your genuine optimism.

I battle with the reasons to join the war in Rojava constantly, but I know your heart was strong and your intentions pure. I just wish I could’ve kept you back in Hambi, or in Pont Valley, away from machine guns and bombs. I wish I could carry on sharing life with you, vicariously enjoying new discoveries through your lens, plotting adventures and causing chaos.

We no longer can do those things together, but make no mistake there is not a single day that I dont stumble upon something I decide to look through Waka’s eyes.

You’re missed, and honoured through the fight, and absolutely never forgotten.

Love you always, friend.

May you rest in the rage of your comrades.

Waka, Farid, Şehîd Şahîn Qereçox.

For a little over three months, ‘MBR Suppliers’ has focused on plucking away any and all businesses that work with or supply MBR Acres in Cambridgeshire, UK, supporting the broader ‘Free the MBR Beagles campaign’ fighting against the puppy mill that breeds beagles for vivisection in the UK.

Since its inception they have managed to sign up 10 MBR Suppliers to a business boycott where they promise not to work with MBR again. A notable example would be JRS bedding supplier, which was also supplying with bedding to huge companies like Pets at Home. When folks contacted Pets at Home to tell them the supplier also sold bedding to MBR Acres, PaH threatened to pull and JRS decided not to sell bedding to MBR any longer. Other companies joining the boycott have been Acourt Group (they collected MBR Acres dog waste)and Bender, who did their human waste.

IMPEX (the company who transports the dogs from the farm to the labs) was targeted after people found their new van depot, so the farm that rented them a shed to store the vans evicted them and forced them to park in the owner’s house instead. They also lost the company who sold, serviced and modified their vans.

The campaign has seen multiple creative protest, but the vast majority of the action has been even simpler; emails and phone calls have achieved a lot of the wins so far. This means that the campaign is accessible to most, even internationally, but organisers insist that there is a place for all who want to take part, from leafletting and wheat pasting to emailing, protest, phone calls and researching, there are so many ways people can help that you will find a way to join them too! 

They are mostly operation on a Facebook group, which can be found here: 


https://www.facebook.com/groups/mbrsuppliers

You don’t need to join that Facebook group though, you could potentially just look at the list of businesses identified as MBR suppliers and do your own thing. Check it out here: 


https://www.facebook.com/groups/mbrsuppliers/posts/1183464019743710

They also have an automated emailer, which with a few clicks lets you send emails to all the companies involved. You can find it here: 



http://mbrsuppliers.free.nf

Campaigning takes a million and one forms, and once you have identified your target, sometimes it is smarter to zoom out slightly to see the connections they have to the outside world. Plucking MBR suppliers away from the dog farm means they slowly asphyxiate trying to find someone else who will work with them, allowing other companies to demand more money for the same service to then pull out of the deal when they feel the pressure. 



Join them, and destroy MBR!



{photo at a demo in front of Stericycle in Bournemouth}

[Image credit: @aggravatedtrespass] 

Though the supplementary badger cull is ongoing, which started in June, activists, saboteurs, campaigners and monitors are preparing for the intensive badger cull which could have an authorisation date within August, though is likely to begin in September. Natural England, a public body connected to the UK Governments’ Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (who are responsible for the cull) published an online opportunity for public comment on a consultation which confirms that an application has been made for a new zone in Cumbria. If authorised, this will be the first new zone since 2022 and shows that the new Labour government has no intention of ending the systematic murder of badgers. It has also been reported that they intend to end culling by 2029, though this is vague and is only achievable under certain conditions. It is also believed that this is on the assumption that they would serve a second term in government, if they were to win in the next general election. To summarise, unless there is a dramatic change, many more will be murdered for years and any hope for badgers through political means is, at best, thin. Direct action therefore, is the only real tangle method of giving the wild animals a chance of survival. Many setts, some existing for centuries, have been wiped out, as reported by Derbyshire Against the Cull who remain determined to do what they can. Northamptonshire Badger Group have also had ‘mixed results’ whilst surveying, with some healthy sett activity reported but also some not active.  

The Dove Valley Mink Hounds continue to have a hard time after being intercepted by saboteurs twice this month by saboteurs from Staffordshire, Nottingham and Lincolnshire.  Throughout the summer, the hunt have had to pack up again and again in what has been a disastrous season for them. Frustrated, they attempted to slip under the radar and leave the kennels in the early hours of the morning but were unsuccessful as they were soon discovered and foiled by 8am. With little of the mink/otter season remaining, the continued failure of the hunt will no doubt have an impact on their morale and could spill over into the following season next summer. Multiple sabotage groups in the East of England also paid another visit to the Eastern Counties Mink Hounds who were hunting in Essex. Though they reported to have not been able to attend as quickly as they had previously, the tip-off they received no doubt made an impact on the hunt who soon packed up, believed to have not been successful at killing.  

The Stag hunting season has begun and immediately caused ‘horror on the hills’ in the South West of England. Sabotaging this form of hunting comes with differing challenges to other hunting. Despite the efforts of hunt saboteurs from Mendip and North Dorset, a stag was killed by the Quantock Stag Hounds and two were also killed by the Devon & Somerset Staghounds on separate occasions. However, the two groups, accompanied by Weymouth Animal Rights, were successful on another day. Stag hunting has a specific legal loophole, lesser known to the public, using a relay of two hounds to flush to a gun for the purposes of ‘scientific research’. Regardless, it is brutal but campaigners push to challenge this and pursue amendments and strengthen the Hunting Act 2004 to make it stronger. Though the impact of this is contested, it is important for a myriad of tactics and methods be explored to cause as many obstacles as possible. Doing so can make hunting ‘unworkable’, as seen by the success of the Scottish legislative campaigning against fox hunting last year.  

The Grouse shooting season has also begun, starting on the 12th August, self-proclaimed as the ‘glorious twelfth’, but didn’t go to plan for some. In recent years, this expensive form of shooting has been increasingly targeted by hunt saboteurs with this year being no exception. Following the successful work of spotters, a large group of saboteurs from multiple groups were able to shut down a shooting ‘party’ on the Wemmergill Estate. Police attended but were unable to prevent the mass hit, though one saboteur from the Sheffield group was arrested. Disruption continued the next day with another shoot being forced to cancel following the arrival on saboteurs. It is believed that shutting down one of these shoots for a day can save hundreds of Grouse and can cause £1000s in damages to the shoot organiser/manager. As well as Grouse, these estates murder other wildlife on a large-scale using traps, some of which were dealt with by saboteurs present. A reminder of this form of wildlife persecution can be read about through two articles recently published on the Hunt Saboteurs Association website.   

On top of the abovementioned, another season has begun; cub hunting. This is where Fox hound, Harrier, Beagle and Basset packs are routinely taken out at dusk and dawn with the purpose of training young hounds how to kill Fox cubs and Leverets. This training process is also vital for building a relationship between the huntsman and hounds as well as hounds learning how to work as a pack. Therefore, sabotaging this is not only important for protecting wildlife on the day but can also be detrimental to hunting efforts during the main season by becoming acquainted with the landscape and where wildlife specifically reside which gives them a better opportunity to act. Many sabotage groups across England and Wales have been present during hound exercise and have taken action when cubbing has been attempted, with too many sabotage groups to mention.  

Any information about wildlife killing fundraisers, hunting, 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 wildlife life.

NO LIFE LIKE THE WILD 

[Image credit: @suffolkandessexhuntsabs] 

The supplementary badger cull continues, as does action against it. Derbyshire Against the Cull have taken up a combination of direct action and advocacy, as seen in social media posts throughout the month that has shown them successfully stopping free shooters as well distributing flyers and stickers within the community. They’ve also called out for supporters to contact their local MPs to put pressure on them to end the continuation of badger culling as government policy. Hull Wildlife Protectors also held a training day, giving an opportunity for concerned members of the public to learn about wildlife crime and badger persecution and what can be done. Badger setts continue to be monitored, as seen by Staffordshire Hunt Saboteurs.

The Monmouthshire & Valley Beagles in South Wales and the Eryri Hunt in North Wales both disbanded this month. Though the scale of hunting can seem overwhelming, news such as this is a reminder of how vulnerable individual packs are and how realistic it is for them to disband. Dedicated campaigns, including consistent sabbing, is sure way to make that happen.  

The Dove Valley Mink Hounds continue to have difficulties, as they were once against intercepted by hunt saboteurs; this time from Staffordshire and Nottingham. As per, on their arrival the hunt gave up straight away and headed back to the meet. In Essex, the Eastern County Mink Hounds had their first ever experience being sabotaged since they reformed. This hunt originally disbanded once Otter populations had declined massively, resulting in protective legal status, but reformed as minkhounds (though continued to hunt Otter, as many still do). However, they once again disbanded in 2021, following internal problems and becoming the target of local sabotage groups. Thinking they had gone forever, it was then discovered they re-emerged soon after as a private pack who hunt ‘legally’ using dogs to flush their target animal to a gun. But after a little bit of research, a large group of saboteurs made up from North London, Suffolk & Essex, Norwich, South Cambridge and South of Norfolk surprised them by taking the hounds away, forcing them to pack up and leave.  

Northants Hunt Saboteurs, along with other locals, continue to put pressure on The Cottesmore Hunt by having a presence and protesting two fun rides and the hunts summer party. This causes a lot of frustration for the hunt as they attempt to recruit new members and raise money. Sabs and protesters highlighting the brutal reality of hunting counteracts the hunts false narrative they try to uphold. It is bad for business and can play a key part in the demise of a hunt, when combined with other tactics.  

Hertfordshire Hunt Saboteurs have been busy ‘cleaning up the countryside’, including spring traps and a fox cage. According to them, a simple ‘jump around’ can make a difference to wildlife. Likewise, Underground Badger Syndicate published a video of multiple spring traps being stamped out after looking for shiny things. In a separate post on their Instagram page, they made their position on the UK general election clear as many may have been voting with wildlife legislation in mind. Not only does mainstream politics come with limits, but acting on a single cause or campaign can be very dangerous. As they explain, Labour party leader Keir Starmer is a transphobe, has pledged to continue culling badgers, has platformed Zionist lobbyists and have little interest in supporting refugees. These are just a few examples of the true intensions of this party, who end up winning and now make up the government. Simply put, UBS concludes ‘fuck your votes, take action!’.  

Any information about wildlife killing fundraisers, hunting, 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 wildlife life.

NO LIFE LIKE THE WILD 

[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

[Image credit: @nottinghamhuntsabs] 

Despite it still being early in the Mink and Otter hunting season, the notoriously sneaky and secretive form of wildlife abuse continues to have problems. Last month saw multiple unsuccessful attempts to hunt by different packs and this month is no different. This included the Northern Counties Mink Hounds who were foiled by a large presence of saboteurs from groups from across the Midlands and the North of England. Making sure they didn’t escape and attempt to hunt elsewhere, saboteurs blocked vehicles from leaving making the hunt and limited supporters present all equally grumpy. The following day, North Dorset Hunt Saboteurs intercepted the Courtenay Tracy Mink Hounds who were hunting where Otters had recently been spotted by members of the public. Multiple sabotage groups also stopped the Dove Valley Mink hounds, who met Sunrise Poultry Hoton Farm; who were previously exposed by Animal Justice Project for stamping on and kicking chickens.  

A new sabotage group has formed in the area of Somerset and Dorset under the name Two Counties Hunt Saboteurs. Throughout the month they have been busy building their infrastructure as a group by building their online presence, fundraising, recruiting and getting kit together. We would encourage our followers to show them support in whichever way you can; join them, like and share their social media posts, donate to them and send them tip-offs.  

Northants Hunt Saboteurs have been keeping the pressure on the Cottesmore Hunt during their ‘fun rides’. These events act as recruiting drives for new members and to raise money for the hunt. Some in the rural community are unaware of the farse of trail hunting and may join for the social element, especially those within the horse-riding community. Protesting these events and highlighting the true intentions of the hunt can, and does, make a dent in the hunts efforts to retain support. Even if potential supporters aren’t sympathetic to wildlife, they may not join a hunt if they don’t want to be doxed as a supporter of the murder of animals. It also upsets the hunt, which is a plus. This pressure is one tactic applied as part of a pressure campaign. Multiple approaches, especially simultaneously, is a proven method to shutting down a hunt for good.  

Traps and other mechanisms of wildlife destruction have continued to be dealt with throughout the month. Sheffield Hunt Saboteurs published a video of multiple mole-traps being flattened by a sledge hammer, prompting Underground Badger Syndicate to publish their own sledge hammer skills with a backdrop of flares and included a prompt of making smashing videos a trend. Seemingly, they also like using chainsaws. Not only does ‘direct action save lives’, as quoted by Hertfordshire Hunt Saboteurs who have been busy with snares and fenn traps, it can also be a lot of fun. You might even come across an exotic garden, like The Great Unwashed.

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 

received anonymously:

Coming to Rojava I knew one thing for sure, I would learn a lot and much would be asked of me. This learning is of course not limited to certain spaces, but more an every day life philosophy. The last weeks together with other internationalists we organized some space to learn, analyze and share life. For this purpose, we did what’s so rare nowadays, we turned off our phones put them aside and ignored them for a whole three weeks. And then it started, getting up early, doing sports together, eating breakfast together, followed by hour long discussions about the meaning of life, the influence different philosopher’s have had on our understanding of the world and much more.

We invited older friends to come and share their stories with us, never starting with themselves, but always starting from their societies history and a collective standpoint. At times a very frustrating experience! Imagine yourself asking a somewhat simple question, like what do you think about anarchism? And instead of someone starting with Anarchism, this person first explains to you how patriarchy, the state and ideologies came about. Slowly, we understood more the inter connectivity between all topics and the importance to not dissect them into small mouth sized pieces, but always try to keep the broad in mind. These weeks were not always easy, with my mind so busy, I could never get enough hours of sleep- often laying awake until late at night thinking about the meaning of revolution, and just when I had finally closed my eyes, someone would come and wake me up for night watch. Night watch and security in general is something we have to take seriously here, we never rely on outsiders to keep us safe.

At times it’s hard to remember that I am in a war zone, the humming of the drones is almost unnoticeable among the noise of the city, news of friends having fallen normally reach us over the internet, making them feel far away and distant, somehow unreal, and even though everyone is complaining about the economical situation, to me at times that doesn’t sound much different from the daily complaints in the UK. But then- of course it is, there’s the small moments when I am painfully aware just where I am, when my housemate tells me her nightmares about her sister falling sehid, or that she dreamed about one of her many friends who have fallen or when I am sitting in the middle of the night, carrying the (shared!) responsibility of keeping an eye out for my friends and comrades. The low intensity warfare works, not just on the western media, who are turning a blind eye to the atrocities committed here, but also on you and me- those of us, who stand in solidarity with the Kurdish movement, who want to see Rojava thrive. I can ignore the reality of the war, exactly what Turkey is aiming for, so it can slowly, but surely kill the revolution. During our discussions, we reminded ourselves of this situation, opening our eyes, trying to really feel it and give our actions and words meaning- making them a constant response. In one seminar, a friend gave us a lesson on the history of sexism, how it developed, it’s turning points, different philosopher’s impacts and I found myself shaking with anger.

Never before had I felt anger so clearly, so raw, inside me, in response to someone giving a presentation. For me in this moment I knew, we need to take this struggle a hell of a lot more serious and step up our actions, the oppressive systems need a powerful response and we all must be part of it.