Alliance fears violence on march

5 February 2001



‘Alliance fears violence on march’

By FWi staff

THE Countryside Alliance fears its London march could be hijacked by violent protesters from its “provisional” wing, reports The Independent.

Its Liberty and Livelihood march on 18 March is expected to be the biggest public demonstration since Tony Blair took power.

But according to leaked memos which the newspaper claims to have, organisers fear the protest has become a focus for hardline hunt activists.

One memo warns that the organisation may not be able to control “the substantial minority of supporters who will resort to public disorder”.

The Independent says this points to a split within the Alliance, with rebels claiming the leadership has pro-Labour sympathies.

The Countryside Alliance has a 4.5 million budget, 80 full-time staff, 90,000 individual members and 300,000 affiliated members.

• The Countryside March – Sunday 18 March, 2001
• Rural rides to the Countryside March – click here
• Alliance alert to march trouble, FWi, 31 January, 2001
• Marchers must back right to hunt, FWi, 30 January, 2001
• NFU backs Countryside March, FWi, 11 January, 2001
• Alliance plans huge London rally, FWi, 19 October, 2000