Protests & Brawl – The debate over fox hunting in England rages on

The hunts, for years only a traditional spectacle and no longer serious, divide society into opponents and supporters. Emotions run high especially between Boxing Day – the “Boxing Day” – and New Year’s Day, the most important event for hunting enthusiasts.

Police need to move to traditional hunting events
Bungay example: As the hunters paraded their dogs through the streets of the small town in eastern England, there were also vociferous critics with placards in the crowd. A fight ensued and the police had to intervene. In Cambridgeshire, an opponent of the hunt allegedly spat on a trailer and was arrested. Even with the traditional January 1 “hunts”, police should be keeping an eye on small towns like Melton Mowbray after isolated fighting a year ago.

At first glance, the dispute is astonishing. Chasing live animals has been banned in England and Wales since 2005 and longer in Scotland. Instead of a fox, the pack now chases a scent trail. “Hunting is in accordance with the law and provides sport for people who want to enjoy it with their horses,” says Sue Simmons, Master of the Hunt in Pleasington, North West England.

Ask about tightening the hunting law
But animal rights activists don’t believe it. They accuse the hunters of abusing “trail hunts” to hunt real foxes and rabbits under the guise of legality. When chasing artificial tracks, the dogs were often distracted by the scent of live animals and chased them to their deaths. “Barbaric” and “sadistic” is the tradition, a “blood sport”. On the sidelines of the Christmas hunt, protesters demanded that the government tighten the hunting law, which has already led to hundreds of convictions.

In just five weeks in November and December, the League Against Cruel Sports organization counted a total of 303 rule violations. The numbers showed the negative impact of hunting on rural communities, says Emma Judd of the League Against Cruel Sports, as the organization translates in German. “Only by strengthening hunting rights can communities, wildlife and rural values ​​be protected.”

Proponents: “Hunting plays an important role in rural life”
Proponents disagree. There are only a few incidents, according to the Countryside Alliance, supporting “country sports.” On the contrary, the “yachts” bring many benefits to village communities: cafes, pubs and shops have more guests and regional trade is stimulated as tens of thousands flock to sleepy villages. “Hunting plays an important role in rural life,” says Polly Portwin of the Alliance. It is also an opportunity for social gatherings. The conservative newspaper Telegraph commented: “Our species have always hunted, and knowledge of landscape, weather and wildlife is as important to those who hunt today as it was to distant ancestors.”

A pastime of the upper class
Another reason why the debate is so emotional is that the conflict is largely along party lines. There are not many hunters, mainly because it is often mainly a leisure activity for the upper class – simply because of the maintenance of dogs and horses. But this upper class tends to vote conservatively, and the Tories also use the Red Coats as a symbol of British traditions that need to be defended. On the other hand, the opposition Labor party has pledged to close “loopholes” in hunting rights if it comes to power.

At the moment, however, the proponents of the hunt seem to have an advantage. A new animal protection law is not progressing in parliament. The hunters have also received fresh impetus from attorney Daniel Greenberg, who drafted the hunting law nearly 20 years ago. “I felt the law came more out of moral outrage than animal welfare,” Greenberg recently told The Telegraph. It does not show enough respect for “cultural opinions” or minority traditions.