Shocking footage shows three female animal-rights protesters being dragged through a muddy field by a gang of thugs during a hunt meeting.<br /><br />The clip shows members of Northants Hunt Saboteurs clashing with masked ‘stewards’ they claim were part of the Cottesmore Hunt.<br /><br />Video shows the women following members of the hunt in a field off Ashwell Road in Oakham, Rutland, at 2.30pm on Saturday (6/1).<br /><br />The women were filming the activities of the hunt when they were surrounded by four men wearing identical orange and black puffer jackets.<br /><br />One of the men is seen shoving a female protester to the ground before the woman filming is also pushed into the mud.<br /><br />Footage shows one of the stewards dragging one of the young women through the mud by her arm.<br /><br />The sabs are then manhandled as the men repeatedly swear and shout at the group, ordering them to “f**k off the land”.<br /><br />At one point a huntsman on a horse is seen riding past the women as they are being shoved but fails to intervene.<br /><br />The women are filmed reluctantly walking along the side of the field while the men appear to take it in turns shoving them and making veiled threats. <br /><br />When one of the sabs complains about her colleague being thrown to the ground, one of the men shouts back: “Tell your bitch to keep walking then.”<br /><br />One of the women tells the main ringleader: “You sound out of breath mate from pushing women over.”<br /><br />The hulking yob snaps back: “Keep going you s**g.”<br /><br />The women are then seen being barged into the road past a group of bemused hunt supporters.<br /><br />The saboteurs claim they were monitoring the hunt to ensure no foxes were killed by the hounds.<br /><br />A spokesperson for Northants Hunt Saboteurs said: “This video is clear evidence of hunt violence towards sabs as four masked men in matching jackets assault sabs with physical and verbal abuse. <br /><br />“Our sabs were dragged through mud, had their faces pushed into mud and were threatened throughout. <br /><br />“These Cottesmore 'stewards' also can be heard using misogynistic language towards our sabs. <br /><br />“This attack has been reported to Leicestershire police who took statements from sabs at the scene. <br /><br />“We await to see what action will be taken by Leicestershire Police but we would like to think that the evidence speaks for itself.”<br /><br />Leicestershire Police have confirmed they had launched a probe into the alleged assault.<br /><br />A force spokesperson said: “An investigation is continuing after two women reported they had been assaulted in a field off Ashwell Road, Oakham.<br /><br />“The incident happened at around 2.30pm on Saturday (6 January). The victims reported they had been dragged to the ground by a group of men.<br /><br />“No-one has been arrested and enquiries into the incident are continuing.”
