Hunt protestors continue to disrupt legal trail hunting

Surrey Union hunt chairman Ian Agnew has questioned why hunt protestors are continuing to disrupt legal trail hunting.

Mr Agnew spoke out after two anti-hunt protestors were arrested on suspicion of public order offences following the Surrey Union hunt on 28 February.

According to Surrey police, at around 1pm on 28 February, a number of protestors — from a group of around 17 following the hunt — donned facemasks and scarves.

A police spokesman said officers believed the masks “would be used to conceal their identity so they could commit criminal acts”.

The spokesman said two protestors refused to remove their masks, and became abusive towards both the police and hunt followers, so police arrested an 18-year-old man of no fixed address and a 34-year-old woman from Brighton.

Hunt chairman Ian Agnew said the Surrey Union has been experiencing disruption for the past month.

“What is their reason?” he asked. “We are quite happy for them to monitor us from public highways, but they are trying to disrupt legal trail hunting activity — this cannot be anything to do with animal welfare.”

The protestors were released on police bail until 17 March pending further enquiries.

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