Tedworth attack is about "hating people, not loving animals"

Last weekend's animal rights attack that left Tedworth Huntsman Mike Lane in hospital has been met with an outpouring of condemnation from all sides of the hunting argument and has been covered widely by the media. The attack is subject to a Police investigation, but a film has emerged showing part of the attack which ended with Mike Lane on the ground being kicked unconscious.

Reports quote Mike as saying animal rights activists "..followed us from the kennels that morning and during the day they were quite upset and there were a number of confrontations. We were quite upset that they were spraying the hounds with citronella spray and we remonstrated with them. We were packing up just after 4pm and it got quite violent. Five or six of them came across to where we were all parked and started to make a nuisance of themselves. I went over to try to calm it all down and one of them spat in my face. I was then punched by another and a scuffle broke out. I slipped over and on the ground one of them kicked me in the head twice and knocked me out. To be honest, I have no other recollection of what happened after that. They were swinging iron bars on lengths of rope at one stage."

This appalling attack is a stark reminder that these self-proclaimed animal lovers are nothing of the sort. Their motivation is hating people, not loving animals, and operating in face masks and armed with iron bars bears this out.

We are in touch with the Police and appreciate that they are in a difficult position, but they should use their powers to require face coverings to be removed where the law allows as face coverings should have no role in any lawful protest. As Shooting Times observed this week: "Would they be allowed to intimidate shoppers on the High Street in Esher? No. So why's it ok in the countryside?"

We all wish Mike a speedy recovery and end by saying that bully boy tactics, while shocking, will not cow a united and determined hunting community.