Hunt saboteurs have been in action twice this bank holiday weekend against the Devon-based Culmstock Mink Hounds.
On Saturday 3rd May 50 sabs descended on their meet on the River Yarty near Chard and brought hunting to an immediate halt. A convoy of sab vehicles spent the rest of the day pursuing the hunt’s hound van through the Devonshire countryside. The pursuit eventually ended in Honiton where four police cars blocked off the High Street to allow the hound van to return to kennels.
Today, Monday 5th May, 10 saboteurs attended the hunt’s kennels at Cullompton while a further 40 patrolled their anticipated meet at the Culm Valley Inn. The hunt did not venture beyond the kennels and no hunting took place.
The hunt saboteurs used a drone (unmanned aircraft) to track, and monitor, the hunt. Members of the hunt were so concerned by the presence of the drone that they threw stones at it to try and make it crash.
HSA Press Officer Lee Moon commented, “This weekend the hunters have become the hunted.The Culmstock Mink Hounds have had a disastrous start to their season and,with sab groups up and down the country making similar plans, it promises to be a long hot summer for the minkhunts.”