BASC is fighting a petition that calls for the cancellation of the Great British Shooting Show at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham.
BASC has contacted hosts of the change.org website to report the petition for breaking several of the site’s community guidelines – including intimidation and hate speech.
After speaking with show bosses, BASC has also written to local councillors and mayors in Birmingham and Solihull to raise concerns about the behaviour of the petition’s organisers.
Dr Conor O’Gorman, BASC’s head of policy and campaigns, told today’s Daily Telegraph that the shooting community should rally to support events such as the Shooting Show when they are targeted by activists.
Dr O’Gorman said: “The best way people can prevent animal rights extremism is by supporting these events.
“Animal rights extremists are using online petitions to bully and harass people. Anyone making a living like butchers and people running shoots are at risk.”
He added: “[The activists] have no interest in anything but their own voice and being outraged about whatever the latest issue is. This is a growing problem in society driven by social media and they will keep going until everything is banned.”
Dr O’Gorman also spoke passionately on the subject on BBC Radio 5 Live this morning (26 November), you can hear the interview here at 1.35.30.
