Have the North London Hunt Sabs Split from the Hunt Saboteurs Association?

Tensions within the hunt saboteur movement appear to be rising, as the North London Hunt Sabs (NLHS) have publicly declared themselves “an independent hunt saboteur group,” raising questions about their relationship with the central Hunt Saboteurs Association (HSA).

The announcement, made via a recent post on NLHS’s Facebook page, confirms long-standing rumours within the sabbing community that the group had distanced itself from the HSA. This development follows an alleged attempt by NLHS members to assert greater control over the HSA’s leadership earlier this year.

In May, NLHS openly called on its supporters to vote three of its own members, Karol Butrimas-Gair, Rhys Giles, and Angela Vasiliu, onto the HSA committee. Sources suggest the move was perceived by many within the movement as an attempted power play, aimed at steering the body under NLHS influence.

While the precise reasons behind the rift remain unclear, this leadership bid seems to have intensified existing divisions. It is no secret within activist circles that NLHS has long viewed itself as a leading force within the sabbing community. Whether their departure from the HSA is an assertion of superiority, or the result of irreconcilable internal conflicts, is open to interpretation. What is clear, however, is that the unity of the movement is under increasing strain.

This sense of internal competition was starkly illustrated by NLHS supporter James Gray, who dismissed the HSA committee as “a little clique” on social media - a pointed remark that hints at the factionalism simmering beneath the surface.

Adding another layer of complexity is the emergence of the “New Hunting Ban”, a group that presents itself as a professional, media-savvy advocacy organisation. However, there are credible claims that the group is a rebranding exercise by members of NLHS, designed to distance themselves from the more confrontational image associated with direct action sabbing, while continuing to pursue the same objectives behind a different façade.

This is not the first instance of internal conflict leading to splinters within the sabbing movement. Susan Sutton-Lloyd, once a prominent figure in the Roaming Sabs group, exited the activist scene following a serious fallout with fellow saboteurs. In the aftermath of her departure, she shared a WhatsApp message in which she was threatened by a fellow sab, warning:

“If Susan doesn’t immediately remove her wild accusations off pro-hunt pages she will be in more trouble than [sic] her wildest dreams.”

Her disillusionment with the movement was later reflected in her Facebook bio, which she updated to read:

“I WILL ONLY SUPPORT ANIMAL ACTIVISM WHEN THE ABUSE FROM HUMANS WITHIN ANIMAL ACTIVISM STOPS.”

With NLHS now formally operating outside the HSA, these incidents appear to reflect a broader pattern of fragmentation within the hunt saboteur community. What remains to be seen is whether this is an isolated dispute, or a sign of deeper fissures that could further destabilise the movement.