Violence erupts at traditional Boxing Day hunts as supporters and protesters clash

 Lucy Middleton

Wednesday 26 Dec 2018

Violence broke out across the UK today as crowds attended several Boxing Day hunts in a mixture of support and protest. Police were forced to break up scuffles and fights, including one in Elham, Kent where a protester was taken to hospital with a broken eye socket. In Newport, south Wales, 200 people turned out for the start of the annual Tredegar Farmers’ Boxing Day Hunt at 11am. Fox hunting was outlawed in 2004, meaning that the pursuit of live animals has now been replaced by trail hunting, which still uses hounds and horses to follow a pre-laid scent. Tensions rise at Boxing Day hunt protests Play Video Loaded: 0% 0:00Progress: 0% PlayMute Current Time 0:00 / Duration Time 1:37 Fullscreen Hunt saboteurs clashed with supporters and this man received injuries to his…