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Vegan TV presenter Chris Packham has spoken out about a ‘very calculated’ death threat he received after campaigning against the indiscriminate shooting of 16 species of so-called ‘pest birds’ including crows.
As a result of Packham’s campaigning with Wild Justice, the government’s advisors for the natural environment, Natural England, revoked general licenses – under which farmers could kill birds on their land without seeking permission. Now, individuals must apply for permission.
Many farmers have been angered by the move, with the National Farmers’ Union saying the general licenses are ‘absolutely necessary at this time of year when crops are particularly vulnerable to pest’, branding the decision ‘incredibly disappointing’.
Attacks
Packham has been targeted multiple times since the decision, with dead crows hung from his fence, and obscene mail sent to his home.
Now he has revealed to the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire program that he has received a letter which ‘orchestrates his death’ and lists ‘a catalogue of things they [his detractors] might do’ including poisoning him or organizing a car crash.
But the presenter remains defiant, saying: “For me this is part and parcel of the proces…People like myself are very dogged and determined. I cannot allow these things to sway me. There are too few people standing up and fighting to protect our environment, our landscape, our wildlife.”
Packham blasted Facebook, which he said was ‘extremely resistant’ to deleting posts which shared his home address, and called on people to send him ‘dead animals and all sorts of other things’.
“There is absolutely no place on Facebook for threatening behavior which includes disclosing someone’s personal information,” Facebook said in a statement.
“We have investigated and removed several posts for breaking our community standards and sharing Mr. Packham’s address.”
