From April 28th 2014 Hunt Saboteurs Association press release:
“The Hunt Saboteurs Association (HSA) is pleased to announce its affiliation to the Anti-fascist network (AFN).
The HSA has always had a policy of inclusion, welcoming anyone into our ranks regardless of race, creed, gender, religion or sexuality, and has been forced over the years to confront and exclude people who have been proved to be racist or fascist. Our active members have for years been the subject of racist (and sexist) abuse from the hunting community which only highlights that our struggle to end hunting also promotes a more ethical attitude to both humans and animals.
Both the HSA and AFN promote a policy of confronting those engaged in racism and hunting respectively, on the streets and in the countryside. To not only stop such activities continuing but also to highlight them to the wider public. While other organisations hide their heads in their hands, hoping that a few leaflets or email shots will make the problems go away, we are clear that the only way to end both hunting and racism is confront it head on, so those who partake of such actions and attitudes are clear that we will oppose them until they stop.”
This act of resistance to white supremacy and racism shook things up in the non-human animal rights and liberation movements. Many groups dismissed this act as too political and dividing while other groups discussed and embraced similar anti-racist/anti-fascist principles. We wanted to re-visit this act of solidarity and power by HSA and pose the question to all other groups involved with non-human animal freedom: will your chapter, movement, crew or organization adopt the same anti-racist policies? Will you too, create safe spaces of inclusion for people of all colors, sexes, abilities, genders and so on?…