Rural protesters to hijack election

30 May 2001



Rural protesters to hijack election

By Fwi staff

COUNTRYSIDE protesters plan to hijack the election agenda by mobilising hundreds of vehicles, reports The Independent.

The newspaper claims that a group called Countryside Alert is centrally organising protests against prominent politicians.

A coalition of huntsmen, farmers, and countryside supporters are using the internet and a telephone hotline to direct protesters to politicians, it claims.

And it is believed they will target the Prime Minister in the last days of the campaign as part of an operation involving vans and lorries around the country.

The Independent says the group is now drawing up secret plans to take to the roads and follow politicians in the last three days of the campaign.

This follows claims that Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott was followed by rural protesters for a fortnight before he punched one who threw an egg at him.

• General Election update
  
• The Independent 30 May 2001 page 1
  

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