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Pro-hunting lobby claim support for a ban is waning

London Rally Causes Split Within Animal Rights Movement

Opponents of deer-hunting have staged a series of demonstrations to press for abolition. Pro-hunting groups say the low turnout was a fraction of the number who turned out to support the hunters just three weeks ago and shows the "anti" campaign is waning. Furthermore, the protest was boycotted by major animal welfare groups.

The BBC's Joe Campbell reports Dur: 1'30"

About 4,000 anti-hunt protestors marched through central London chanting slogans calling for the Government to ban blood sports. The event was organised by a fringe group of the National Anti-Hunt Campaign and threatened to split the animal welfare movement as a whole.

Three prominent animal rights organisations boycotted the march. The RSPCA, the League Against Cruel Sports and the International Fund for Animal Welfare had urged their supporters not to attend, saying the rally was "unnecessary and confrontational".
demonstration
Demonstration in central London

They asked the public to write to their MPs instead, pledging support for an anti-hunting bill sponsored by Labour MP Mike Foster. Mr Foster is still confident of getting his private member's bill passed, in spite of the Government's lack of support.

The Labour backbencher Kerry Pollard defied an appeal from Mr Foster not to attend the rally. He received thunderous applause when he told the crowd the House of Lords must pass the bill or face being banned as an institution by the House of Commons.

"Mike Foster's bill will sail through on its first reading, of that I am absolutely convinced," he assured demonstrators. "When it gets to the Lords it might be a different matter. But they should look out, because we will ban the Lords as well. The people will speak, it will be the will of the people to ban this barbaric sport."

RSPCA spokeswoman Kate Parminter said: "The best way to end hunting with dogs is to show MPs the breadth of support there is for change in the law. Demonstrations...are inappropriate during this consultation period - they will simply encourage confrontational politics."

Pro-Hunt Campaigners Lobby MP

Pro-hunting supporters have held a noisy demonstration outside the constituency surgery of Taunton MP, Jackie Ballard, at Dulverton in Somerset. They are angry that Ms Ballard, a Liberal Democrat, supports Mr Foster's private member's bill to ban hunting with hounds.

Ballard
Ballard: won't change views
One protester said: "She'd better watch out because if she does make us very annoyed, I wouldn't like to say what would happen, because we have a right to our way of life."

The MP later spoke from the steps of the police station in Dalverton. "I know that you are very opposed to my views on hunting. I have to tell you quite honestly that I have never made a secret of those views," she said. "I will not be changing them, but as your member of parliament, obviously I will listen to what you have to say."

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