Fisheries Minister hit with offal
Fisheries Minister Ben Bradshaw was hit in the face with animal innards at a protest against the hunting ban yesterday.
A group of 70 demonstrators gathered outside County Hall in Exeter, Devon, to greet Mr Bradshaw as he attended a fisheries meeting in his constituency.
A hollowed-out apple filled with animal offal struck the Labour MP for Exeter below his right eye.
The Countryside Alliance condemned the incident and said the rest of the demonstration proceeded peacefully.
The pro-hunting body is contesting the ban on hunting with foxes in the High Court.
Alison Hawes, South West regional director of the Countryside Alliance, said: “Everybody stayed behind the barriers and everyone co-operated with the police and he was allowed in to the conference, which is what we had agreed.”
Mr Bradshaw said: “I’m not sure that throwing offal bombs into people’s faces does the hunt cause very much good.
“I’m slightly surprised these violent protests are continuing when the hunting alliance is taking its case through the courts.
“It’s also a shame because it detracts from a very important conference we’re having today on the future of the fishing industry in the South West.”
The conference discussed the long-term future of the region’s fisheries.
