Skip navigation

Indymedia UK is a network of individuals, independent and alternative media activists and organisations, offering grassroots, non-corporate, non-commercial coverage of important social and political issues

Hunt Saboteurs protest against badger cull at Tory Party Conference

Hunt Sabs | 08.10.2012 22:48 | Animal Liberation | Birmingham

...

HSA demo at Conservative Party Conference
HSA demo at Conservative Party Conference


Yesterday saw Hunt Saboteurs from all round the country give up their precious Sunday to travel to Birmingham and join other Anti-Badger Cull activists in displaying their support for the Hunting Act and their opposition to the Coalition Government's plans to tackle Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) by attempting to cull up to 70% of the native badger population, despite strong opposition by countless animal welfare groups, scientists and activists.

The day started with West Midlands police showing hostility to various people attempting to join in the protest and turning them away citing that the protest “was full”. Amusingly it wasn't just activists being turned away, but also furious members of the public who were simply trying to pass through the area. Undeterred, activists who were turned away found other routes to the protest rendering the Police's attempt at subverting democracy a failure.

Prior to the protest, a protest pen had been set up across the road from the entrance to the conference which the Police tried to force the activists into. However, standing their ground the activists refused to move and sat down in a line in front of the Police to avoid being pushed away from the entrance.

As the protest peaked, several Hunt Saboteurs equipped with HSA flags and poles made their presence known and made an attempt to enter the conference building, but it turns out they weren't on the list. Imagine that.

Hunt Sabs
- Homepage: http://www.hsa.enviroweb.org


Comments

Hide the following 4 comments

great, but!

10.10.2012 10:38

It's great that people want to defend wildlife, but isn't marching in support of an "Act of Parliament" collusion with statism?

anarchist


Re: Anarchist

10.10.2012 12:20

Although you make a valid point your mistake is assuming that all saboteurs are anti-statists. Although many hunt sabs do identify as anarchists, many do not and as such the Hunt Saboteurs Association is a non-political organisation that exists only to protect wildlife by any means necessary (including, however distasteful, by pushing for government legislation).

As for my personal feelings as an active sab and someone who went to the demo but who considers themselves an anarchist all I can say is that governments cause FAR more harm than they do good but when they do something half decent (like pass animal protection laws) we should view that as a minor victory. We may as well take some benefit from their fucked up system, after all; we live with the negatives every day.

And more importantly, hunt sabbing hasn't changed that much since the law came in, we're still out in the field disrupting blood sports directly and will continue to do so until they finally die out. We will do it regardless of whatever laws the government of the time try to use to load the dice either in our favour OR that of the abusers.

South Coast Sab


legitimate action

12.10.2012 07:57

Only it's not their fucked up system, it's ours, if we take part in it.
The only legitimate action is direct action.

anarchist


Semantics

12.10.2012 13:06

Unfortunately mate I do participate in the system, we all do. And I'm guessing you do too, every time you pay rent, buy a loaf of bread or go to the hospital when you're injured. In fact I know you're a hypocrite because we're having this conversation online, you're colluding with the corporate state system and infrastructure every time you pay your monthly bill aren't you?

What I'm saying is that you can be smug and 'more-anarchist-than-thou' as much as you like but we as anarchists in 21st century Britain must accept we live in a society dominated by things we fundamentally disagree with. That isn't going to change over night. And it's even less likely to change if we don't fight to keep what few concessions we have won over the years. Would you support the removal of the minimum wage using the logic "well it's one less law, and laws are bad."?

Use your fucking head, and while you're at it feel free to lace your boots up and contact your local sab group...

South Coast Sab


Links