A hunt saboteur was awarded damages totalling £1450 in Oxford County Court on Monday 19 July 2004 after a jury found in favour of her claim against Thames Valley Police for assault. The case arose from 9 December 2000, when she was punched whilst being arrested on suspicion of having committed Aggravated Trespass at the Garth and South Berks Hunt.
The 6 day hearing was told how the incident occurred towards the end of the day at Benyon's Enclosure, Mortimer near Reading and the saboteur received a punch on the head from a police officer that left a 4 cm long bruise and swelling. She was awarded aggravated damages.
The Garth and South Berks was a regular target for hunt saboteurs, resulting in their merger with the neighbouring Vale of Aylesbury Hunt in 2002. At the time, the hunt denied regular sabotage being the cause, putting it down to the laughable excuse of "too many golf courses". In their latter years the hunt had been the scene of numerous arrests and huge police operations.
Hunt Saboteurs Association spokesperson Nathan Brown said, "We obviously welcome this judgement but it is a sad fact that many more hunt saboteurs have been subjected to assaults or wrongful arrests and not been in a position to take legal action. We hope that Thames Valley police will focus their officers on real crime in the future rather than preventing hunt saboteurs from saving lives."
The Garth and South Berks was a regular target for hunt saboteurs, resulting in their merger with the neighbouring Vale of Aylesbury Hunt in 2002. At the time, the hunt denied regular sabotage being the cause, putting it down to the laughable excuse of "too many golf courses". In their latter years the hunt had been the scene of numerous arrests and huge police operations.
Hunt Saboteurs Association spokesperson Nathan Brown said, "We obviously welcome this judgement but it is a sad fact that many more hunt saboteurs have been subjected to assaults or wrongful arrests and not been in a position to take legal action. We hope that Thames Valley police will focus their officers on real crime in the future rather than preventing hunt saboteurs from saving lives."
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...and Sasha Distel dies!
22.07.2004 18:42
Green Bert
e-mail:
muhammad_goldstein@yahoo.com
um...
22.07.2004 23:11
but the statement "We hope that Thames Valley police will focus their officers on real crime in the future rather than preventing hunt saboteurs from saving lives" worries me.
lets hope the police focus their officers to get all those real criminals, y'know the ones undermining society. its ok for the police to get other people with those useful laws then?
and Green Bert, if you can't see why it matters, fine. just don't go moaning when some cop kicks you in the head because you are in their way.
heather
Fuck the Police
22.07.2004 23:50
They all are traitors to the people/community and must be treated as such.
Blah
I agree with blah
23.07.2004 10:42
They are more of a police farce.
If you dont believe it try protesting outside an oil company AGM or an E$$0 stations and see how many porkers turn up
(A)
To easy
23.07.2004 14:17
Secondly I have seen to many loud mouthed little thugs at protests who spend the day spitting at and abusing the Police and then cry foul when they get nicked (or a kicking). For those who are confused NVDA means NON VIOLENT Direct Action
I have been involved in numerous protests over the years, some very confrontational and yet not once have I had any problems with the Police. Treat them how you would want to be treated and they are fine, abuse and treat them like dirt and that is how they will treat you.
Don't forget this is the same Police who turn up at three in the morning to help you deal with the drunk yob on your doorstep, the same Police who face the BNP thugs at their Nazi riots, the same Police who clear up the aftermath of road accidents.
Too many rants on Indymedia about the Police by posters sound like Rick from the Young Ones
Cynic
NOT SO EASY
23.07.2004 20:26
cops who decide to go to far.
I cant believe the comment I just read that that lucky person who has
been on demo's and never had a run in with the police.
Please! They push and shove and throw the law into our faces and we re
supposed to accept it,I think not!
The tatics of the coppers are getting more aggresive and who gave them
this authority to physically push us around without any reason.
As everyone who is involved with campaigning we are there for the
animals and not there to fight with the arrogant cops with chips on
their shoulders.
JACKIE LAMBERT
Met police in action, Mayday 2002
24.07.2004 10:10
The "little thugs" that the previous commentator mentioned can be identified by their black uniforms with cop numbers on. If you see one of these bastards, don't call 999, it just encourages more of them to turn up. It's better to set up a community action group and sort stuff out yourselves.
Andy B