Hunt saboteurs target Jeremy Clarkson over ‘diddly squat’

Animal rights protesters targeted Jeremy Clarkson’s Hawkstone Brewery after he let a hunt whose former members have been fined for animal cruelty offences onto his land.

Campaigners descended on the site in Bourton-on-the-Water, Glos., with banners reading “Jezza, hands off me badgers” and “Stop those dirty hunts”.

The brewery is decorated with a mural of Clarkson and Kaleb Cooper, his co-star in Clarkson’s Farm, painted in the style of communist era icons.

Three Counties Hunt Saboteurs and Gloucestershire Badger Office said they organised the protest after Clarkson allowed The Heythrop Hunt onto his estate.

They said the group had been accused on “numerous” occasions of breaching the 2004 Hunting Act – which bans the use of dogs to capture and kill wild animals.

Lynn Sawyer, from Three Counties Hunt Saboteurs, said: “Clarkson is openly outspoken about his hatred for both foxes and badgers and seemingly is intentionally ignorant about the behaviours and impacts of both species.”

A spokesman for Action Against Foxhunting, who was also at the protest, added: “Jeremy Clarkson does diddly squat to protect wildlife.”

The campaigners, who made their voices heard on Wednesday, later delivered a letter outlining why they had gathered outside the property owned by the former Top Gear presenter.

The letter said Clarkson should not allow fox hunting on his land, not allow anyone to disturb badger setts or take part in a “badger cull”. Clarkson is not accused of breaking the law in any way.

The letter read: “We are writing this open letter to you concerning issues of wildlife persecution on land which you own. It has been noted that you give permission to the Heythrop Hunt to hunt on your land.

“They have been accused on numerous occasions of hunting wild mammals in breach of the Hunting Act 2004. We are writing to you in the hope that we can start a dialogue regarding wildlife persecution and protection.”

Clarkson previously revealed he had been reported to the police and denied that he filled in badger setts on his land. He claimed he was not at fault and branded animal rights protesters who reported him as “not very bright”.

A spokesman for The Heythrop Hunt said: “The Heythrop Hunt conducts lawful trail hunting activities to comply with the Hunting Act. The hunt liaises with landowners to obtain permission to conduct an activity which complies with the law and which is regulated by the British Hound Sports Association.

“More than 12,000 days of trail hunting take place each year, yet hunts and landowners are regularly subjected to spurious allegations made by activists with a political agenda to stop an activity which simply involves people following a pack of hounds which are following a scent that has been dragged across the countryside on a smelly rag.”

Diddly Squat Farm and Hawkstone Brewery have been contacted for comment.