20 February 2005

Dear Sir/Madam

I am writing to complain about the actions, or should I say inaction of your officers while I attended a meet of the East Kent Foxhounds. The meet took place at Crundale on the 19 Februry 2005. It is my firm belief that Kent Police are not pursuing violent criminals because they have links with respectable heads of our community, ie they are hunt supporters. You may be aware that on the 5 February 2005 at a hunt meet also at Crundale hunt saboteurs were attacked and one of the received a bad facial injury requiring hospital treatment. Video evidence was given to the police of the attack which clearly showed the perpetrators. Statements were taken and it was pointed out to the police that the attackers seemed to have a link with the shooting estate at Crundale. Two weeks later on the 19 February 2005 (yesterday) whilst I was monitoring the East Kent Foxhounds, a gang of hunt supporters bailed out of their vehicles just 100 yards in front of a police landrover full of officers and set off to attack some of my associates. Many of our group told the police what was happening, but it seemed as if they didn't know what to do.

The events that took place after that lacked the continuity I am used to seeing by the police. As an anti hunt protestor for 12 years I am acutely aware that if I or my associates stray outside the law we can expect a well co-ordinated response by the police, instead their reactions could only be described as sloth like.

The result of this and the inaction of the police to firmly deal with the attack which took place on 5 February, has given hunt supporters a green like to do the same again with impunity. A friend of mine was beaten to a pulp and many of his attackers took part in the attack two weeks ago.

In summary I am not complaining about any of the officers present on the day, instead I would like to concentrate my complaint on the way your officers are trained and briefed.

It seems to me that the legacy of Operation York has left your officers with the inability to deal with crime when it has come from the hunt and its followers.

I do not wish to antagonize the police service as our organisation would like to have a better relationship with the police than in the past. However I can not stand by and do nothing when our group has become a target for violence and the perpetrators are so easily slipping through the net.

Yours faithfully

Back