Chris Packham no longer bothers to hide his associations with hunt saboteurs.
In August he praised a group of masked thugs who targeted a grouse day in the Peak District, despite arrests being made after one of their leaders was found to be carrying a knife. The incident led to the Countryside Alliance launching a petition to call on the BBC to stop employing him, which has so far received over 6,400 signatures.
If ever there was an image that underlined the dragging of a once-sensible charity like the RSPB, of whom Packham is vice president, towards extremism this is it.
In his latest show of support for hunt saboteurs, Packham has appeared on their stand at what looks like a peculiar village fete, posing with two masked up oddballs. Packham has even rallied his dog to join the gathering, to the bemusement of others at the fete. The three sad middle-aged white men are dressed up like men-in-black officers, as if they are some sort of cringeworthy dressing up group.
But does a closer look at the blacked out men, and their distinguishing tattoos, reveal something more sinister?
In 2019 a masked mob of five animal rights activists chose to terrorise a young mother in front of her two children at her rural home in Wales. The five men were led by renowned convicted thug, Paul Allman.
The woman, who had never been on a hunt in her life, was left 'shaken with anger' to return home and find five men blocking entry to her Trefnant, north Wales property. When the 'intimidated' mother demanded the mob remove their masks, they yelled at her to 'f*** off'.
One commentator at the time of the incident remarked: "I can't begin to imagine how frightening this experience must have been for the woman, her husband and of course, her young children. These cowards hide behind balaclavas to frighten and intimidate members of the public. They are bullies and couldn't care less about animals."
Given the masks and blacked out clothing that these saboteur thugs wear, it is difficult to be entirely confident on their true identities. However what is striking is just how similar the man on Packham's right in the photo resembles the violent criminal, Paul Allman...
As the saying goes, 'people surround themselves with people who embody the qualities they follow'.
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