Anti-hunt vandals attack and burgle farm property

As countryfolk know all too well, the main aims of hunt sabs is not the saving of foxes, but to cause rampant damage and destruction in the countryside and to hurt the rural economy.

Tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage has been caused to farm equipment in the attack motivated by hatred of legal trail hunting

This has been illustrated to a gross degree after anti-hunt vandals attacked a farm near Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire between Friday 13 June evening at 5pm and the following morning at 8am in what the police has described as a deliberate criminal attack.

The attack, which the police have described as “malicious” in intent, has caused tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage to the farm. The criminals have sprawled “Fuck the hunt’, “Fuck shooters”, “Badgers’ Revenge” and “ALF [Animal Liberation Front]” all over farm equipment, including on barns, tractors and machinery.

The criminals slashed the seats of a wagon and vandalised the interior

According to Thames Valley Police's Rural Crime Taskforce, the perpetrators stole power tools from farm outbuildings during the break-in. In what investigators describe as “a deliberate act of vandalism”, the criminals slashed a a tractor's tyres, poured maize into its fuel tank, and cut the its fuel lines and wires.

Given that its name has been graffitied all over the farm equipment, the  criminals look to be members of the Animal Liberation Front (ALF), an animal rights extremist group that has been flagged by the FBI as a “serious domestic terrorist threat”. Our readers may be aware of some of ALF’s more notorious associates, including Dimitri and Emma Christoforakis, Richard Duprey and Paul Allman.  

This was a despicable act of vandalism and destruction, causing tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage to a rural business. It is particularly deplorable targeting of a rural industry that is facing severe financial pressure: farm profits slumped by 19% in 2023 according to DEFRA, while research by the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission has found farmers’ incomes have remained stagnant since the 1970s, and the inheritance tax raid on British farms will deal yet more crippling blows to the sector.

The criminals slashed the tractor tyres and vandalised the vehicle. The owners say it is "probably a right-off"

Thames Valley Police has put out a plea for information on the vandalism and burglary. "If you have any information about these incidents or witnessed damage near the Good Gathers sign on the A44 west of Chipping Norton, please come forward. You can share details anonymously via Crime Stoppers 0800 555 111 or online and via 101 with reference number 43250294065.We urge members of all communities to help ensure accountability for these actions.”