Animal rights extremists ask 'high risk' supporters to leave money to sabs in their will

Anti-badger cull activists have received backlash for asking 'high risk' followers to include hunt saboteurs in their wills, following the Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.

Government guidelines suggest a number of 'at risk' groups including those over 70 years old as well as people with underlying health conditions such as diabetes, follow the most stringent of social distancing measures to limit the transmission of Covid-19.

The post, which has been branded ' appalling' by the Countryside Alliance states:

"On a very morbid but important note, if like some of our older members and those with high blood pressure or diabetes who are in the high risk group and you are in the process of writing your will, please consider the Hunt Saboteurs Association. They have no waged staff and the money they get coming in they hand out to local groups in the form of grants to help them stay on the road."

It concludes: "We will continue in whatever way we can to stop the badger cull's, until the last shot is fired."

The request forms part of a wider post put out by the group on 21st March 2020, about the spread of Covid-19 and social distancing. Within the same post, they admit to installing video cameras to secretly monitor farmers.

Tim Bonner, Chief Executive of the Countryside Alliance said: "It's appalling that at a time when we need to pull together and support the most vulnerable in society, animal rights extremists see a national crisis as an opportunity to raise money to fund their vicious campaigns. It's completely unacceptable"

The Hunt Saboteurs Association, which the post asks people to leave money to in prospective wills, is known to collect donations and then distribute them among affiliate groups, including 'Stop the Cull' which is spearheaded by convicted animal rights extremist, Jay Tiernan.

Tiernan, whose real name is Gamal Eboe, was handed an 8 month suspended- sentence in 2003 after submitting false claims for £3,000 to the Department of Education for training students. In an interview with the Farmers Guardian, he admitted to using the cash to fund rent and living expenses. He was also found guilty of contempt of court because of nine breaches of an injunction granted to the NFU against campaign groups in August 2013. Mr Tiernan apologised for harassing farmers during the 2013 pilot culls in West Somerset and West Gloucestershire.

Many comments on the post have since been hidden by the group's administrator, who comments to say " trolls" will be banned. One, that was captured prior to being removed says: " Just how low can you get trying to guilt trip money from people at such a time. You lot never cease to amaze me!" another that is now deleted says: " Guys, are you serious? We're in a crisis here and you're picking on farmers regarding social distancing".

On Friday (27th March 2020) Cheshire Police emailed a separate group, 'Cheshire Against Blood Sports', to warn them they would "struggle to justify" setting up video recording equipment in the countryside to record badger setts, if discovered by police.