Dramatic film footage proves Hunt Thuggery

international | environment | press release

Thursday March 01, 2012 22:32

by Enforce the stag hunt ban - Campaign to Suppress illegal Hunting of Irish Deer

Two anti hunt campaigners who attempted to film a hunt on the Hill of Tara last Tuesday were set upon and viciously assaulted by staghunters.

Let's keep an eye out for illegal stag hunters!

Film Footage has become available of the tense moments leading up to the vicious assault on two anti hunt campaigners who attempted to film a hunt on the Hill of Tara in County Meath on Tuesday last.

The footage is from the camcorder that Declan Bowens of Johnstown, Navan, County Meath, had been using to film the hunt. The activists were concerned at persistent reports in recent months that carted stag hunting is still taking place in certain parts of County Meath and North County Dublin despite the ban imposed on the blood sport in 2010 by the FF-Green government.

Declan, his colleague, and three other witnesses saw a stag being harassed by hunters and hounds. The two activists were anxious to film this in order gather evidence that the stag hunt ban is being breached. Declan estimates that there were about eighty hunters and up to forty hounds involved in the hunt.

When riders in full hunting regalia and hunt followers on foot noticed Declan filming, a number of them proceeded to attack the two anti hunt activists.

Declan continued filming up to a few seconds before being knocked to the ground and subjected to repeated punching and kicking. His female colleague was also assaulted and a set of car keys wrenched from her possession, causing a serious injury to one of her fingers in the process. The tyres of their car were also slashed. The camcorder kept recording through the earlier stages of the assault

Declan called Gardai and reported the assault, and he was driven away in an ambulance to receive hospital treatment for his injuries. Gardai at Navan are investigating the incident.

Here is a link to the footage of the clearly identifiable hunters… just seconds before the violent assault took place. Though the final part is sound only, it is quite disturbing and demonstrates the frightening nature of the incident.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxVGRH0ZdKM

Declan Bowens after being viciously assaulted by staghunters on the Hill of Tara

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Comments (5 of 5)

fair justice

by newsmedia

Fri Mar 02, 2012 01:47

Show these low order trash the same mercy that they show the animals they hunt - NONE.

Use the full power of the law and take no prisoners.

they deserve it but...

by ciara r

Tue Mar 06, 2012 21:05

I would love for those savages who get a thrill out of torturing animals to feel some of the pain they inflict, but by doing so we will probably do no good in the long run.

The greatest threat to animal abusers is publicity - shine the light of media coverage on them - normal people don't get their kicks out of sadism unless they have been reared for it from an early age. Show the public what the hunters, the circus owners, the vivisectors and the pet batterers get up to, that is what will make things better for our animal brothers and sisters.

Keep up the good work guys.

Ciara

Is there an anti hunt organisation

by Brian

Thu Mar 08, 2012 13:55

We would like to commend Declan and his partner for the great courage they showed on the day to oppose this sort of cruelty. Does anyone know of any organisation that we could join to help keep an eye on this barbaric "sport"?

Here's some contacts

by Anti hunt

Thu Mar 08, 2012 21:58

Re anti hunt groups...you could contact Save Our Stags at 087-2651720 or the Irish Council Against Blood Sports at 044-9349848. Both groups have a presence in the part of the country where stag hunting was rife before the ban...

Follow up?

by ConCit

Mon Jul 21, 2014 15:11

Is there any follow up to this. what happened in the end. Will action be taken against the people who committed the assault or against the hunt for operating without the required licence/permission?

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Dramatic film footage proves Hunt Thuggery

Comments (5 of 5)