|
Our apologies for the delay in updating! WE MUST ALL BE IN LONDON ON MONDAY NEXT 16 DECEMBER 2002 |
|||
|
Please bookmark this page
and return again soon.
News links: Police
round up pro-hunt protesters
(The Times - log-in needed)
More HERE.
Ministers
will not let Lords block Bill on fox hunting |
|||
 1
October
The March was a great success on the day - the follow-up media coverage was disappointing. The usual claims of foxhunters hijacking it and muddled messages abounded. So it was on to the Labour Party Conference. C.A.N. had a lively action planned, but it all went rather pear-shaped on the day. Early on Sunday morning, Peter Gent, Peter Hole and three other C.A.N. activists arrived on the outskirts of Blackpool to finalise preparations for our action, prior to the arrival of the main group of supporters at 9.15 am. As they drove into the car-park, the number of cars was noticeable. Suddenly, they were 'mobbed' by ARMED police(!!!) and arrested - on 'suspicion of conspiracy to commit violent disorder'. They were taken, in separate cars, to two different police stations where they were questioned and held for seven hours - before being released with no charges and no further action. They availed themselves of the assistance of the duty solicitors, who were adamant that the police had NO evidence to support the arrests. It should be stressed that - once at the police stations - they were treated with courtesy and respect (no rubber truncheons and they were allowed to make telephone calls, etc. BUT, they were not released to join up with the main group of activists, some of whom were 'persuaded' to disperse. The rest went down to the police station to look for their friends, but the detainees - when released - were 'smuggled' out a back door and driven back to their cars. We don't yet know how the police became 'aware' - it appears they may have added 2+2 - and come up with 132! We are discussing the possibility of an action for wrongful arrest and imprisonment with our legal advisers. Needless to say, NO 'violent disorder' was contemplated. Lessons have been learned from Sunday - and our apologies to those who made the trip to Blackpool for an action that had to be aborted due to the heavy-handed police response to our presence. 10
September There have been conflicting reports about the Government's intentions and - at this stage - it's anyone's guess. It is hard to see Labour backbenchers settling for anything short of a virtually total ban on all hunting with dogs. Tony Blair has his hands full, and would undoubtedly like the hunting issue to 'disappear' - but he also needs the support of his backbenchers if he is to continue with his 'double act' with George Bush. There is little cause for optimism that common sense or fairness will prevail. IF the March is big enough, it will certainly help to bring 'pressure' on Government, but it is very unlikely to be enough. C.A.N. is supporting the March and will not be organising any action that may interfere with it or detract from its aims. While we have several small 'actions' planned in the next few weeks, major initiatives will be delayed until after a Government announcement. Timing is everything. Our objective has been to give Government an indication of what might result if it attempts to force through a hunting ban. Until it does, our protests have to be tempered with the need to minimise unfavourable publicity and damage to public opinion. However, the Government
should not doubt the resolve of hunting supporters to defend their sports,
their jobs and their way of life. |
|||
|
19 July C.A.N. started its picket of the Labour Rural Conference in Shropshire at 3pm and was joined by C.A. protesters at 5.30pm. The CA had done an excellent job in mounting posters in the area, and no visitor could have been unaware of our presence. Unfortunately, the group calling itself 'the Real C.A.' was also active, both in Shropshire and further north, resulting in some unfortunate publicity. C.A.N. would like to
support any group that has hunting's best interests at heart: sadly, 'the
Real C.A.' is involved in some ill-judged actions that are NOT in
hunting's best interests. You might ask - what is the difference
between blocking motorways and painting graffiti on roads etc. The
former action was deliberately limited in scale to cause the minimum
disruption conducive with catching media attention and sending a message
to Government. C.A.N. activists identified themselves publicly and
defended their actions, while effectively promoting the main
message. The actions of 'the Real CA' have so far resulted in
thousands of pounds worth of damage to public (that's US!) property - but
no-one is prepared to be publicly associated with them, either to 'face
the consequences' or to promote the cause. |
|||
|
Press Release: 12 July Hunt supporters stages rolling blockades of 7 motorways throughout England and Wales this morning as part of an ongoing series of protest at the Government's continued attack on hunting. The blockades took place between 7.15 and 8.00 am and included the M4 in South Wales, the M11 and A14 in Cambridgeshire; and the A1(M) in Yorkshire. Plans to include the M20 in Kent were changed because of Kent County Show, and Birmingham was specifically excluded because the M42 and M6 don't need any help! Spokesman for the Countryside Action Network, Janet George, said: "The protests were planned to minimise the inconvenience to the travelling public as much as possible, while still sending a clear message to the Government that hunting people COULD do far more. We have won all the arguments. There is no justification for a ban on hunting - and the evidence of the harm it will do continues to accumulate. But we know it won't make any difference to the Government - it needs to keep its backbenchers happy. We must make it clear to the Government that, if forced, we can cause it more trouble than its backbenchers can!" "Hunting supporters do not want to inconvenience the general public - and we apologise sincerely to anyone who was held up for a short time this morning - but we must use every possible tactic to show this Government that being IN Government does NOT mean having unfettered power to bully and discriminate against minority groups it disagrees with."
Footnote: |
|||
| Older News Archive here. | |||
|
|
|||