We reported earlier this week that the BBC’s Chris Packham, who is also a Vice-President of the RSPB, had encouraged a group of masked thugs to intimidate and threaten a shoot party in Derbyshire.
It has since transpired, as was reported in media yesterday, that man in his 50s was arrested after being suspected of carrying a 'bladed object' thought to be a knife.
Had the police not turned up when they did and manage to arrest the knifeman there is no telling what damage could have been done.
Writing today in the Telegraph, Sir Ian Botham who was present at the shoot blamed Packham and the RSPB saying: "The RSPB seem to know the value of hatred. It is constantly trying to whip up anger against gamekeepers because they, not it, have Britain's best bird sanctuaries."
How could this be any worse for a BBC presenter and representative of the RSPB to be encouraging masked knifemen to threaten ordinary people going about their work?
Speaking to the Daily Mail, a Countryside Alliance representative said: “The start of the grouse season should be a time for celebration in our uplands, bringing together rural communities for whom it is so important both socially and economically and for many moors shooting on the 12th that was the case. Saboteurs have a complete disregard for the lives and rights of others. It is appalling to see Chris Packham egging this masked group of thugs on. Surely the BBC can’t ignore one of its presenters publicly supporting and encouraging criminal action by others, and this is something that we will be taking up in the strongest possible terms with the Corporation”.