Defiant 'thousands' to attend hunts
Protests have been held by both sides
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Tuesday, 26, Dec 2006 10:17
Thousands are expected to attend fox hunting meetings across the country today, nearly two years after hunting with hounds was made illegal.
The Boxing Day meetings are traditionally the most important of the year and supporters of hunting have warned that thousands could attend illegal meets across the countryside today.
The Countryside Alliance, which has continually protested against the legislation, said that those attending the hunts today "will demonstrate the continued determination to overturn bad law and the resolve to secure the future of their hunts and the jobs that go with them."
In response many anti-hunting campaigns have turned to the police to help enforce the controversial legislation, however.
Douglas Batchelor, chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sports, said: "We all hope that those hunts going out today do no more than ride across the countryside.but any hotheads who think they can behave as they did in the past should be aware that they are being monitored and will find themselves in court if they break the law."
In June this year, pro-hunt campaigners lost their case at the court of appeal. They unsuccessfully argued that the ban infringed upon human rights and employment, as the ban reportedly caused job losses in rural communities.