Tuesday, December 21, 2004
HUNTERS TOLD OF ZERO TOLERANCE
BBC NEWS
Hunt supporters planning to oppose a ban of their activity are being warned the police will take a "zero tolerance" policy towards them.
Fox hunting will be banned from 18 February next year and police are expecting widespread protests.
Last week protesters disrupted the opening of the Rearsby Bypass in Leics.
But Nottinghamshire Police Authority chairman Councillor John Clarke has warned hunt supporters: "Break the law you'll be treated like the miners".
The Quorn Hunt in Leicestershire has told its members not to protest.
Hunt master Joss Hanbury said: "I think in this part of the world most people will stay within the law. Perhaps, in other parts of the country they might be different."
Mr Clarke emphasised that, if there are major protests by hunt supporters, policing strategy would be similar to that implemented during the miners' protests 20 years ago.
"I've asked the Chief Constable recently about how we're going to police this if it does break down - you know, civil disorder, the rest of it - and he said it will be exactly the same as when we dealt with the miners.
"There will be a strong presence of police, we had special courts for when the miners' strike was on.
"I imagine that at the same time that the Chief Constable would want special courts - late sittings, early sittings, whatever to deal with it, if it's a such a vast volume of protesters, who are breaking the law."
Officers are still considering the practicalities of enforcing the ban when it comes into force.
Concerns include access to private land - at the moment officers can go on private land to carry out an arrest, but not to check if an offence has been committed.
Hunt supporters planning to oppose a ban of their activity are being warned the police will take a "zero tolerance" policy towards them.
Fox hunting will be banned from 18 February next year and police are expecting widespread protests.
Last week protesters disrupted the opening of the Rearsby Bypass in Leics.
But Nottinghamshire Police Authority chairman Councillor John Clarke has warned hunt supporters: "Break the law you'll be treated like the miners".
The Quorn Hunt in Leicestershire has told its members not to protest.
Hunt master Joss Hanbury said: "I think in this part of the world most people will stay within the law. Perhaps, in other parts of the country they might be different."
Mr Clarke emphasised that, if there are major protests by hunt supporters, policing strategy would be similar to that implemented during the miners' protests 20 years ago.
"I've asked the Chief Constable recently about how we're going to police this if it does break down - you know, civil disorder, the rest of it - and he said it will be exactly the same as when we dealt with the miners.
"There will be a strong presence of police, we had special courts for when the miners' strike was on.
"I imagine that at the same time that the Chief Constable would want special courts - late sittings, early sittings, whatever to deal with it, if it's a such a vast volume of protesters, who are breaking the law."
Officers are still considering the practicalities of enforcing the ban when it comes into force.
Concerns include access to private land - at the moment officers can go on private land to carry out an arrest, but not to check if an offence has been committed.
