WILTSHIRE Police have outlined the steps they will take to engage with hunt meets to avoid the violent scenes seen at the Boxing Day hunt in Lacock last year.

Three people were convicted after a disorder broke out between hunters and anti-hunt protesters at the Boxing Day Avon Vale Hunt on December 27, 2021.

Two other men however were acquitted of using threatening/abusive/insulting words/behaviour with intent to cause fear of/provoke unlawful violence.

More than 50 hunt anti-protesters clashed with more than 100 Avon Vale Hunt supporters during the incident, with only two police officers present to try and quell the violence that took place.

The force were criticised for their handling of the event.

More than 8,000 people signed an online petition to the then Home Secretary calling for an explanation of the way Wiltshire Police handled the hunt meet outside the Red Lion pub after scuffles broke out between hunt supporters and anti-hunt protesters.

Officers were accused of not intervening to prevent the violence that occurred and said later they would conduct a thorough review of their policing approach to ensure that similar scenes would not be repeated in the future.

Wiltshire Police said: “Following the disorder at the Boxing Day Hunt held in Lacock on 27 December 2021, when a number of people were arrested, we undertook a review of our policing approach to identify any organisational learning from the event.

“The review was conducted by a College of Policing (COP) trained de-brief officer and the final report was submitted to the Wiltshire Police Executive Leadership Team (ELT).

“The review makes a number of recommendations, all of which have been endorsed by the ELT. These are summarised below:

  • Improved engagement with organisers of hunts prior to the event being held to allow full consideration of an appropriate policing response
  • Improved engagement with protest groups prior to events being held to allow full consideration of an appropriate policing response
  • Employ a model of engagement and risk assessment for the full 2022/23 hunting season to allow for appropriate planning
  • Ensure appropriate terminology is used when describing different groups
  • Body Worn Cameras should be fully utilised when officers attend such events for the purpose of evidence gathering and transparency
  • Improved guidance to managers to support operational colleagues in attendance at such events
  • Further develop the intelligence capability relating to such events.

“In line with these recommendations, we wrote to every hunt operating within our Force area early in November, asking for their co-operation and support to work with us to overcome any tensions around hunting. We have engaged with many of the hunts following their receipt of the letter.

“Public safety is always our top priority and we must ensure that our policing response to events such as this is proportionate, well considered and based on the risks posed to the public.

“We respect the rights of all groups to peaceful protest and the expectation is for all groups that attend hunts to be non-confrontational. We will act impartially and will not hesitate to take appropriate action against any organisation, group or individual who break the law.

“For those who witness what they believe to illegal activity it is important that reports are made in the proper way by calling 101/999 or report to an officer in attendance; supporting video or photographic evidence should be provided in full and without editing.”

To report a crime in progress, always call 999. For anything else start online www.wiltshire.police.uk or call 101.