Hunt supporters to defy any ban on their sport (From Gazette & Herald)

Hunt supporters to defy any ban on their sport

MORE than 1,000 hunt supporters are expected to gather in Ryedale next month to sign a document saying they will not comply with any ban on hunting with dogs.

People from the hunting, shooting and fishing communities, and others who support the freedom to hunt, are to meet at Birdsall on the morning of November 1 - 'Declaration Day' - to sign what they are calling the Hunting Declaration.

It commits them to refuse to co-operate with any hunting ban, and then submit themselves to the legal consequences.

The meet at Birdsall is one of 12 being held at locations across England and Wales.

Foxhounds, lurchers, greyhounds, beagles, mink hounds, terriers and other hunting and working dogs will all be present.

Countryside Alliance Yorkshire director John Haigh said: "The mass gatherings on Declaration Day will give individuals the opportunity to make clear their intention to take part in peaceful but committed civil disobedience should a hunting ban ever be imposed.

"This nationwide show of strength and unity will send a clear message that we will not accept unjust law.

"We remain committed to and confident of a just outcome for hunting.

"However, this event allows everyone to declare the lengths to which they are prepared to go for justice.

"This is not a step that anyone will be taking lightly, but many people feel that it is a legitimate act of protest in response to the threat of deeply prejudiced legislation."

Frank Houghton-Brown, joint master and huntsman for the Birdsall-based Middleton Hunt, said he would sign the declaration.

"Hunting is my life and the life of several of my employees and my hounds," he said.

"If a law against hunting does come into force I am prepared to break it. I think no to a ban on hunting is the sentiment of a lot of people.

"In the last opinion poll, 59pc said they were against a ban. I think people are against a ban because they are libertarian.

"Whether they agree with hunting is not the issue. A lot of people don't agree with it, but they don't want to ban it."

The Hunting Declaration can be found at www.huntingdeclaration.org. A dedicated hotline number has been set up for Yorkshire on (01672) 519518.

Updated: 11:18 Wednesday, October 15, 2003