Police were called to an incident involving hunters and hunt saboteurs in Gatcombe yesterday morning (Saturday).
At around 08:20 Police were called after reports of a confrontation between 2 groups of people near St Olave’s Church in the village.
Hunt saboteurs or ‘hunt sabs’ as they are known are those who campaign against fox hunting in the UK.
The group of individuals, who commonly wear balaclavas and hide their identity, were filming and documenting members of the hunting community who were taking part in the divisive activity.
Whilst the act of fox hunting is officially illegal in England and now many groups take part in what is called trail hunting, where riders follow an artificially laid scent, it is believed that the practice still takes place in its original form.
The spot is well known for hunting, with the kennels for the hounds not too far from the Church.
Police engaged with both parties and Hampshire Constabulary has said no further action was taken as a result.
However, Wight Hunt Sabs have said on their Facebook page that a member of the hunting party has been arrested, saying:
“Ironic that they called the Police regarding us and ended up being arrested themselves”.
Killing wildlife for no good reason. It’s a disgrace!
And totally cowardly.
Trail hunting is a myth. Starts off like that and then once out of view, they will hunt a real fox. Why else do they object to being followed and filmed. “HUNTS ARE FOR C***S”
They use the loophole that they were trail hunting but “unfortunately” the hounds caught the scent of a real fix.
They don’t like the sabs because they can’t pull that trick while they are being recorded.
Absolutely correct!
Trail hunting is total hoodwinking by the establishment in an attempt to appease people. As soon as nobody is looking they’ll kill every fox they find.
Like you I’m not fooled in the slightest
And all those going to the Isle of Wight Grand National today are funding the hunt.
“Protesters” are not necessarily “Saboteurs”.
Filming and recording hardly constitute sabotage.
And fox hunting “officially illegal”? What other kind of illegal is there?
No mention of what the hunt was actually doing which attracted the protesters?
And failed to mention”editor”!!the terrier men also wear camogear and balaclavas! Not just the sabs! And if you care to look at Facebook page you will see a hunt member being walked away handcuffed! What’s wrong upset their journalism is superior to yours and factual or are you like so many on The Island keen to stay tugging your forelock at The Hunt? Totalwadye of time they are broke and will be would up soon with any luck! “ticktock Island Foxhounds tick tock”!.
Heathen’s.
Should be fined heavily.
Don’t believe they use scent only.
So fox hunting is illegal, yet the police fail to arrest those that are hunting? Nothing corrupt here is there
Unfortunately it is not that simple but the terrierman was arrested
Good! After all, why would they need a terrier man if they are just following a scent!!
So in other words police time was wasted
The terrierman was arrested
Seems the police wasted their own time. Fox Hunting is illegal and the perpetrators need taking to task. Name and Shame. Heartless Bastards.
Its 2022 there is no need in this world to Hunt poor Animals
Where is the RSPCA when you need them.
It’s some people’s idea of fun unfortunately
How would these evil ******** like it if they were hunted.
I pray people like this suffer for what they do to poor innocent animals.
There is no need in the 21st century to permit the killing of any other life form for “sport” – it is barbaric and so last century. this pointless activity has been going on for hundreds of years…
England’s oldest fox hunt, which is still running today, is the Bilsdale Hunt in Yorkshire, established by George Villiers the Duke of Buckingham in 1668.
as MP’s were aristocracy centuries ago
the Parliamentary name “Chief Whip”, which is given to the MP whose role it is to keep the Prime Minister informed of any back bench revolts and general party opinions and to ensure party members toe the party line refers to the role of the “Whipper-in”, who has the responsibility of keeping the hounds in check during a hunt
Interesting,the other day people were liking that the guy who shot seagull could be cruel to children and violent to others . However these stuck up snobby people who hunt are more likely to threaten and be violent to others, especially child abuse, ( child abuse higher in upper classes) how is it right to take primary school age children on a hunt,see how dozens of adults indulge in the chase and fear to the animal and then the kill watching a live creature being ripped apart by dogs,in some hunts the children are then marked with the foxes blood for 1st kill. Sick individuals they are. Why also are hounds allowed off lead to cause danger to road users and pets – never seen them pick up the dog S-++ either.
Freddie, the reason they do not pick up their hound’s excreta is, one assumes, as the think theirs has no odour, then neither does their hounds in their biased minds.
That is what they employ those who suck up to them to do, pick up their animal’s excreta, clean up their sweaty horses, whilst they go to the club for a fine lunch and binge on alcohol then drive home merry that they have left some creature torn, burnt out and rotting in a field that night, with the cubs wondering where their parents are gone, whilst they slip into a warm comfortable bed.
They are vile people yet being ‘super’ rich avoids that being an issue.
For if it were ONLY the poor who indulged in fox hunting it would have been banned years ago.
It’s not only the rich that hunt, many working class people do too, unfortunately.
Disgusting beings.
These people, for the most part have the most beautiful homes, wonderful cars, holidays, no money worries, have private health care and want for nothing, yet feel the need to use their wonderful horses, which many of us would love to own, just to terrify and hurt, then kill some innocent creature, which is not bothering ‘them’ at all.
These people are taken away from home life too young, sent to boarding school, and end up cold, nasty bitter people who are only happy when makings something be it an innocent creature or those misfortunate enough to work for them, unhappy.
Thank you hunt sabs, for giving your time to protect the innocent creatures.
Being sent to boarding school has nothing to do with this matter? How would you know or were you at boarding school?? Don’t judge everyone that went to boarding school?
They should be hunted !!!!!
Cruel unnecessary evil, ….
How on earth can anyone enjoy watching a poor defenceless animal being torn apart ?????
Scumbags the lot of them !!!!!
And as for the 1st blood how disgusting is that !!!!
I read Liz Truss was for fox hunting!!!!!!
Let’s hope she will be going very soon , no better than those that hunt . .
It’s time folk also protested at the shoots here on the Island .. hundreds of pheasants and partridges bred to be ‘sent up’ and shot by the monied folk who have paid hundreds for the ‘pleasure’ of shooting.
I wonder why the botanic gardens are no longer popular among the enlightened?
These bloody arrogant bas*ards think letting a pack of hounds run after a poor fox until it can’t run anymore then it gets rip to pieces is their idea of sport, fun whatever…….. Fox hunting is illegal and the Police should arrest all these tw*ts who still partake in this barbaric blood sport.
Disgusting. But like most things that concern animal there’s cruelty. And the thrill is to get high on the killing as it’s a point of power. FB has the story of yesterday and the vileness of these hunters, video footage off the leader using foul language to the Sabs then show to the police lead to the vile Uncle shit head being handcuffed and taken away.the Sabs did nothing but sit in their car. The hunters called the police but got penalised hahaha…btw the owner of the garlic festival etc is one of those shit heads too.. I feel sorry for the dogs as will all be shot once it’s finally stopped..so should the hunters.. Well done Sabs..☺️
The dogs have a short life anyway. They are killed when they can no longer keep up with the pack.
Seven years ago a friend was walking along a bridle way no idea the hunt was coming. The dogs attacked and killed her dog. She was hurt too. No one was prosecuted and the hunts dogs were left alone. Brown envelopes and secret hand shakes.
Trail hunting is a misnomer. Its a smoke screen for true fox hunting which is ILLEGAL. So glad someone has been arrested, hopefully the MOF (master of foxhounds… gives it away really doesn’t it?)
There were no foxes on the Island until they were “introduced” around 1845, when the “toffs” decided they wanted blood sports here too.
Whilst reading your seemingly biased article which appears to contain incorrect information, can you tell me why in the House commenting rules the words defamatory, legally challenging and unfair criticism are used yet the author has implied there was illegal activity with regards to the Hunt but a balaclava wearing group displaying threatening behaviour is ok in a peaceful, largely elderly, rural village?
Most of the reports show that it was the Hunt that was being threatening and it was one of their number who was arrested.
And it’s not the first time he’s been in trouble with the law either, is it?
Let us also not forget that Director of the Masters of Foxhounds Association, Mark Hankinson, was found guilty of telling hunts how to do exactly what people are suggesting they do (use trail hunting as a cover for hunting real foxes).
Well of course ‘most’ of the reports said that, totally biased as usual.
Are you telling me all the sabs are little angels are you? Never been in trouble with the police?
I’ve seen first hand how cruel they can be to horses and humans and then they get their knickers in a twist because somebody called them a name? Ridiculous waste of tax payers money calling the police!
If fox hunting was a working man’s game it would have been banned over 100 years ago
Hunt on I say
Would you like to volunteer to be hunted then Countryman?
Absolutely
Hunt on I say
Sabs just out to cause trouble as usual most on benefits!
I’m all for country sports, some areas of the uk rely on those sports but I’m still baffled why the elite (yes they still exist) feel the need the hunt a fox it serves no money or business purpose other than impress this fool to invest in a dying estate. you’d be doing well to even see one of these elusive and clever animals. Obviously people thought differently back then when the super gentry thought good to chase a fox off of XYz amount of acres and the hound breed served another purpose other than rough tracking in a team what what it was originally for, tbh you’d have more chance of loosing game eggs and birds to a weirdo with a fetish than a fox.