On 7 December, Sheffield Hunt Saboteurs braved Storm Darragh and faced violence of a more corporeal kind as they sabbed the Grove and Rufford Hunt. The sabs’ vehicle tyres were slashed the evening before, and one person was headbutted during the meet itself.
The group reported:
“Despite finding the tyres for one of our vehicles slashed this morning, we headed out looking for the Grove and Rufford with Nottingham Hunt Sabs joining us with their undamaged deli.
With weather warnings out today, we headed out hopeful that mother nature would keep the Grove indoors. Hunts across the country did cancel today but sadly, their bloodlust was too strong and we found them meeting at Coates Farm, Coates, home of the Highfields Group.”
Headbutted
The sabs continued:
“Kennelman Nathan Carley stole sab equipment while hounds hunted a willow plantation to the south of Cottam Power Station. When confronted, he headbutted a sab.”
This is certainly not the first time this hunt has used aggressive tactics when confronting hunt saboteurs, and slashing tyres is a regular occurrence too. Back in early 2023, Protect the Wild reported that both Sheffield Hunt Saboteurs and Peak District Hunt Saboteurs had their tyres slashed. The sabs recorded footage of the whole incident, which showed masked-up men purposefully walking towards the sabs’ car. The thugs slashed two tyres as hounds passed the vehicle. The sabs shouted that the man had a knife, and were promptly shoved by the attacker and his friend. One culprit got a nasty shock when a sab bravely pulled off his balaclava to reveal his identity, and the man was arrested.
Of course, like all hunts we report on, the Grove and Rufford doesn’t trail or drag hunt. Nottingham Sabs reported from this latest meet on 7 December, saying:
“Several foxes broke cover and we used whip cracks to push the hounds back which caused a great deal of unhappiness with Haddock and master Josh Taylor who rode at and blocked sabs.”
Violence is the norm
All over the country, sabs on the ground are facing regular attacks from hunters or their supporters. The number of incidents we have reported on over the past month alone shows the extent of the aggression. On 30 November, a member of West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs was taken to hospital after a Warwickshire Hunt rider deliberately rode his horse at her. She suffered from a broken coccyx.
And one week before that, on 21 November, a hunt saboteur was beaten up by Mendip Farmers Hunt terriermen. She was taken to A&E for scans to rule out brain damage. The men also stole her handheld camera, as well as her body camera. The Mendip Hunt Saboteur was attacked by the terriermen as they attempted to dig out a fox who had gone underground.
Meanwhile, Cheshire Borderland Monitors faced intimidation and harassment in November, with young masked men surrounding one monitor as Wynnstay hounds hunted, calling her a “silly old c*nt”.
And also in November, a hired Cottesmore Hunt thug who made life hell for hunt saboteurs pleaded guilty in court. David Fildes faced multiple charges after weeks of violence against Northants Sabs earlier in 2024.
Help replace sabs’ tyres
It takes immense bravery for sabs and monitors to work tirelessly, week after week, to protect foxes. They do this while facing constant harassment from hunt members and supporters.
Sheffield Hunt Sabs are appealing for donations to repair their vehicle tyres. You can donate to the group here.
