Thank you for helping us try to unmask the hunt saboteurs

Thank-you to the thousands of you who took the time to sign up to our recent e-campaign on unmasking hunt saboteurs. We have now closed the e-campaign, which was a huge success. We will continue to communicate with Police & Crime Commissioners on this important subject, hoping to simplify the current rules. We would ask you to forward any correspondence you receive from your Police & Crime Commissioner, Chief Constable or Member of Parliament, to us at [email protected]. We will of course keep you posted on developments.

The police do have powers to order the removal of face coverings, but they are not straightforward. An authorisation to remove an item of clothing that a constable "reasonably believes that person is wearing wholly or mainly for the purpose of concealing his identity" must be given by a senior officer in writing only when he or she believes that the individuals involved are going to commit an offence. Because the process is complicated we believe that all police forces should be prepared to deploy these powers when animal rights extremists appear in their areas.