Get off my land!
Raging quad bike driver runs down hunt saboteur
A ‘ HUNT supporter’ was caught on camera as he violently attacked a group of saboteurs before using his quad bike to knock one over.
After speeding up to three of the balaclava-clad gang as they filmed the Atherstone Hunt near the Leicestershire village of Ratcliffe Culey on Saturday, the unidentified man shouted at them to ‘get off my land’ before launching a flurry of punches and shoving one into a ditch.
As the hunt saboteurs walked back along the track, the man – who is not believed to be the landowner – used his quad bike to aggressively herd them out, shouting: ‘You are on private property, I can do what I want.’
He then sped up and knocked one off his feet and into a ditch. The man was then heard boasting: ‘That’s one more, does anybody else want some?’
Police are investigating the incident after footage of the confrontation was published online by the West Midlands Hunt Saboteurs.
The saboteurs said they had previously filmed the same man – who they claimed was a ‘ hunt supporter’ – running at them with an iron bar last year. A spokesman said: ‘The saboteurs were just standing peacefully filming the hunt when they were violently attacked out of the blue.
‘He just started laying punches. When we tried to walk away he started ramming us with his quad bike. One person could have been seriously injured as he went at him with speed – if the quad bike carried on it could have landed on him in the ditch.’
He added: ‘The guy has been at hunts before and has attacked us. Despite what he said, he’s not the landowner – we have searched Land Registry.’
A Leicestershire Police spokesman said: ‘Officers are investigating an allegation of assault after a man sustained minor injuries in Ratcliffe Culey, Leicestershire.
‘A report was made which related to the victim having sustained an injury as a result of being involved in a collision with a quad bike. Inquiries are continuing.’
The Atherstone Hunt did not respond last night to requests for comment.