Chris Packham slams ‘barrel scraping’ pro-fox hunters for ethnic minority declare
Chris Packham has accused wacko pro-fox hunters of “desperate barrel scraping” as they demanded to be declared a protected ethnic minority.
The animal activist, 63, is flabbergasted by the bonkers idea. Ed Swales, of Hunting Kind, claims hunters should be protected under equality laws like gay people or Gypsies are.
But Packham hit back on X: “You couldn’t make it up…and you don’t have to. “Yep, a bunch of fox hunters think they warrant designation as an ethnic minority group under the Equality Act 2010. Absolutely desperate barrel scraping as their end nears.”
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Nature lovers agreed on social media, with one writing on X: “Hunting animals for pleasure is abhorrent. The only minority group they should be in is ‘the evil’.”
(Image: Getty Images)
Another said: “Let them get protected status if that’s what they want to chuck their money at. They’ll still have to abide by the law, which means not hunting foxes as it is illegal. Do you think they’ve thought this through at all?”
Swales told podcast Fieldsports Channel that he has been in cahoots with a top human rights lawyer who reckons they have a strong case.
He said: “The qualifications of an ethnic group, there are five, and we hit every one in the bullseye. The outcome of that from the human rights silk is that as a protected minority group under the Equality Act, we qualify, undoubtedly 10 out of 10.”
Swales claimed blood-sports fans suffer discrimination such as losing out on jobs or getting trolled on social media.
He also insisted he cares about wildlife, adding: “I can tell you for a fact it is not cruel because I take no delight in the suffering of an animal.
“I am as animal welfare friendly as anyone I have come across, and my hunting compatriots are the same.”
But ex-Labour minister Mike Foster said on X the hunters had “lost the plot”, adding: “The hunt lobby never fail to disappoint.”
