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'Thousands' attend UK fox hunts Hunts hail Boxing Day turn-out
(about 4 hours later)
More than 200 hunts have held traditional Boxing Day meets, claiming the two-year-old ban is unworkable. Campaigners claim 320,000 people took part in traditional Boxing Day hunt meets, saying the ban is unworkable.
Under the ban, dogs can still be used to follow a scent - and foxes can be killed by a bird of prey or shot. Under the ban, dogs can still be used to follow a scent - but cannot be used to kill the fox.
An anti-hunt groups warned it would be on the look-out for illegal activity and one protester was arrested. But protesters also took to the countryside, saying the police should be doing more to enforce the legislation.
But hunt supporters said it was up to police forces to monitor the 200 events rather than what they claim are "vigilante pressure groups". The Countryside Alliance said two hunts had re-formed while other meets had been joined by former supporters.
'Real shame' Hailing the strength of the Boxing Day turn-out as a success, campaigners for a repeal of the fox hunting law said the numbers who had attended meetings showed the ban was unworkable in England and Wales.
Liz Mort, eastern regional director of the Countryside Alliance, said a female "hunt sabatoeur" with a hammer had been arrested at the Essex Farmers and Union Hunt. HAVE YOUR SAY I am just about to go out with dozens of other families to watch and cheer on the local hunt as they meet this morning Anthony Jeffrey, UK href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=5059&edition=1" class="">Send us your comments Charlotte Fiander, spokesman for the Countryside Alliance said supporters regarded the legislation as an "unenforceable" law.
"One woman - a saboteur or hunt monitor as I think they are now called - got arrested for having a hammer," she said. "Even the police don't seem to know what they're trying to uphold," she said.
"It's a real shame. Everyone is trying very hard to hunt within the law and their efforts are not helped by people like this." "Everybody seems to be generally confused as to what's going on."
If you or I decided to stand at the side of a road with a homemade speed camera... we'd be hounded out of town for being vigilantes Simon HartCountryside Alliance Across the UK, hunt organisers said their meetings had been well attended.
Simon Hart from the alliance said such activity by anti-hunt groups was unacceptable. Some 2,000 people turned out to see the Beaufort Hunt in Gloucestershire, said organisers. The Beaufort has in the past been attended by members of the Royal Family.
"If you or I decided to stand at the side of a road with a homemade speed camera... we'd be hounded out of town for being vigilantes. The South Pembrokeshire Hunt saw 700 people turn out, including Countryside Alliance chief executive Simon Hart.
"It is up to the police and the Crown Prosecution Service to enforce the law in this country not a vigilante pressure group with a political motive." But the RSPCA dismissed claims that the law was unworkable. "Those who think otherwise will find themselves in court," said a spokeswoman.
The pro-hunting group estimates that as many as 250,000 people have turned out for the Boxing Day meets. They claim the strength of the Boxing Day turn-out, one of the most important days in the traditional hunting calendar, shows that the current ban in England and Wales in unworkable. "We can't pick and choose which laws to obey. Calling for the law to be repealed was "a bit like saying the law against burglary isn't workable because people commit burglary.
"If some people choose to break the law it proves the need for enforcement."
'Systematic law-breaking''Systematic law-breaking'
League Against Cruel Sports spokesman Mike Hobday said when hunting with hounds was banned, in February 2005, most hunts acted within the law. Essex Police arrested one female saboteur for carrying a hammer at the Essex Farmers and Union Hunt.
But things had got progressively worse and currently a "significant" amount of law-breaking was taking place, he said. But League Against Cruel Sports spokesman Mike Hobday said "significant" law-breaking was coming from the hunts themselves.
HAVE YOUR SAY I am just about to go out with dozens of other families to watch and cheer on the local hunt as they meet this morning Anthony Jeffrey, UK href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=5059&edition=1" class="">Send us your comments "Systematic breaking of the law is a facet of hunting that is causing the police to be more concerned - more interested in what's happening," he said.
"Systematic breaking of the law is a facet of hunting that is causing the police to be more concerned - more interested in what's happening." Mr Hobday said the league would work with the police - but was also planning to bring private prosecutions if necessary.
He pledged to work with the police, but also said the league would take out private prosecutions where necessary. Lord Archer QC, a former solicitor general, and Anthony Scrivener QC, former chair of the Bar Council, have been advising the league which has established a team to look at bring prosecutions.
The league revealed it had set up its own prosecution unit to target hunters who break the terms of the Hunting Act. The Countryside Alliance's own legal challenge to the legislation is soon to be heard in the House of Lords.
Lord Archer QC, a former solicitor general, and Anthony Scrivener QC, former chair of the Bar Council, have agreed to provide advice to the unit.
But according to the Countryside Alliance, more people than ever are participating in hunting. The Countryside Alliance's legal challenge to the legislation is soon to be heard in the House of Lords.
Earlier in the year hunt supporters failed to get the lower courts to rule that the legislation breached human rights law, trading and employment regulations.Earlier in the year hunt supporters failed to get the lower courts to rule that the legislation breached human rights law, trading and employment regulations.