Land Rover arson attack won’t stop me, says Packham
NATURE campaigner Chris Packham says he will not be swayed by masked arsonists who set fire to a Land Rover which exploded outside his home.
The BBC presenter said he feared he could be killed by crazed opponents of his campaigns against the ‘savagery’ of fox hunting and opposition to blood sports.
He is also worried his step-daughter could be a target for the thugs.
Springwatch presenter Mr Packham, 60, caught the two attackers on CCTV as they drove the vehicle up to the gate of his home in the New Forest just before 1am on Friday before setting it alight – causing thousands of pounds of damage.
Mr Packham told his social media followers the ‘vicious, cowardly act of vandalism’ was just the latest episode in a lengthy harassment campaign.
In 2019, dead crows were strung up at his gate over a legal challenge to shooting wild birds made by Wild Justice, the organisation he co-founded. Since then dead animals tied to his gate had become a ‘normal occurrence’. But the latest action meant he now feared for his life and the safety of his family.
Mr Packham lives in Hampshire with his partner, zookeeper Charlotte Corney, and his two poodles, Sid and Nancy.
He said: ‘I wonder what happens next. Do they burn the house down, do they beat up my step-daughter, do they cut the brake lines on my partner’s car, or do they come for me directly?
‘I mean, are they going to kill me at some point? I think it’s a fair question.’
Addressing the arsonists, Mr Packham said: ‘I cannot let your intimidation sway me from my course.’ Hampshire Police said no arrests had been made.