On Saturday 22 June, hundreds of foxes marched through Westminster. The skulk of campaigners-turned-canines were calling on the next government to clamp down on illegal hunting.
Illegal hunting campaigners at the Restore Nature Now rally
National animal welfare charity the League Against Cruel Sports organised the fox demonstration to highlight the prolific levels of illegal hunting that still goes on today. Significantly, this is nearly 20 years after parliament implemented the Hunting Act. This banned trail hunting – the practice of pursuing wild animals with dogs.
Fox campaigners turned out as part of the Restore Nature Now march and rally:
At the front as we start our march to Parliament Square
We’ve got thousands of people all shouting one clear message to all parites📢#RestoreNatureNow pic.twitter.com/ttQC5dWmEX
— Restore Nature Now (@RNNMarch) June 22, 2024
Extinction Rebellion with support from Chris Packham set up the event which brought together huge numbers of nature and environment groups. This included a mix of larger organisations, mingling with grassroots activist groups:
What an incredible day! 👊 Over 80,000 people, all marching to Parliament with one message for our politicians: 📢 Restore. Nature. Now! #RestoreNatureNow #VoteCleanRivers @RNNMarch pic.twitter.com/shtq8OOUkW
— RiverActionUK (@RiverActionUK) June 22, 2024
Today our Avocets spread their wings and hope for the future. Massive thanks to all of our staff, volunteers and supporters, without you, change is not possible . #RestoreNatureNow pic.twitter.com/wsuDM3BLpm
— RSPB (@Natures_Voice) June 22, 2024
HAPPENING NOW: we are marching on the streets of London with thousands to demand a future that protects nature.
No nature = No future
Join us now and march to defend humanity and to #RestoreNatureNow pic.twitter.com/JpsoMVNYCT
— Fossil Free London (@fossilfreeLDN) June 22, 2024
We were proud to be part of 100,000 people marching on Saturday, calling on the government to #RestoreNatureNow. We need so much more #Climate and #AirPollution action from our leaders. @RNNMarch pic.twitter.com/CedQXsDEhl
— Mums For Lungs (@MumsForLungs) June 24, 2024
Health bloc at the ready.
There is no health without nature#RestoreNatureNow @RNNMarch pic.twitter.com/nQjXN9S0LH
— Health for XR (@DoctorsXr) June 22, 2024
Around 80,000 to 100,000 people representing these organisations turned out for it. The crowd included former Green Party MP Caroline Lucas, and a menagerie of wildlife presenters and celebrities like Liz Bonnin, Steve Backshall, and Emma Thompson:
Fantastic energy at the #RestoreNatureNow march in London! Tens of thousands gathered to demand urgent action: a shift to nature-friendly farming; making polluters pay for their damage; fast, fair & effective climate action & a new right in law to a healthy environment 🦋🦋🦋 pic.twitter.com/aRxGT88vHS
— Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) June 22, 2024
Outfox politicians at the ballot box
Collectively, the attendees raised their voices to call out politicians ahead of the general election. In particular, the march called on politicians of every stripe to prioritise the biodiversity crisis – or lose support on polling day:
SO, so many people marching to #RestoreNatureNow @RNNMarch
Whoever forms the next government must respect existence or expect resistance! pic.twitter.com/LqqnYdG87s
— Guy Shrubsole (@guyshrubsole) June 22, 2024
I can’t begin to tell you how massive the #restorenaturenow march was, I’ve never seen London’s streets lined with so many people – if every single nature organisation is out shouting in the street that our politicians aren’t doing enough, our politicians need to listen pic.twitter.com/jTgci3Yup8
— Jack Wallington (@jackwallington) June 22, 2024
The hundreds of anti-hunting campaigners saw the march as a (sly) opportunity to outfox the cruel industry’s biggest political voices at the ballot box. Specifically, the group had a series of demands for whoever forms the next government:
The next government must strengthen the Hunting Act 2004.
We want to see:
✅ Trail hunting banned
✅ Exemptions from the Act removed
✅ Custodial sentences for law-breakersYou can help us 👇https://t.co/cRYa9vjz0a#TimeForChange #EndHunting pic.twitter.com/gKkUpr4nUv
— League Against Cruel Sports (@LeagueACS) June 22, 2024
The League’s acting chief executive Chris Luffingham was among those marching for the foxes through London. He said that:
For years politicians have been getting away with sidelining their pledges on nature and climate, playing politics with issues that have a very real impact on our environment and our wild animals.
Hunting was one of those. When the Act was brought in hunting was supposed to be made illegal, but loopholes in the law has allowed foxes and other animals to continue to be killed purely for entertainment.
The next government needs to step up where previous administrations have failed: strengthen the hunting act as a matter of priority and renew pledges to safeguard other wild animals.
Our nature and environment urgently needs protecting, and British wildlife is part of that. It’s time for change.
Featured image via the League Against Cruel Sports
