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Vegan TV presenter Chris Packham has received anonymous hate mail at his home address – a penis drawn on a piece of wood.
The mail follows an incident last week, when dead birds were hung by their necks from Packham’s fence. The two attacks are believed to be a response to the presenter’s successful campaigning with group Wild Justice, which called on the government’s advisors for the natural environment, Natural England, has revoked general licenses – under which farmers could kill birds on their land without seeking permission.
As a result of the campaign, individuals must apply for permission for shooting the animals, which has angered some farmers and bloodsports enthusiasts.
Sack Chris Packham
One farmer was so enraged as a result of losing the right to indiscrimately kill so-called ‘pest birds’, as well as Packham’s anti-bloodsports position, that he created a petition calling on the BBC to fire the presenter.
“As an employee of the BBC, Chris Packham should remain impartial and keep his views and beliefs to himself however, he is the face of many anti-hunting campaigns and uses his celeb status as a platform to push his anti-hunting agenda, he has made his goal to ban all kinds of hunting, and country sports and pursuits and I feel he is no longer fit to work for the BBC,” it said.
In response, a petition calling on the BBC not to fire Packham was launched, saying: “Chris Packham is a much loved and respected naturalist and presenter, who campaigns for wildlife and conservation. The Countryside Alliance and other organizations are calling for the BBC to sack him, in other words, silence him, for speaking out in his campaigns. We think his campaigns for wildlife are justified, as they are based on scientific evidence, and he keeps his campaigning and role at the BBC separate.”
The petition calling for Packham to be fired is currently slightly ahead, with in excess of 124,000 signatures. The other has in excess of 119,000.
Penis on wood
Speaking about the latest attack on a video, Packham said: “I’ve just got home, opened up the post, and someone has sent me a present. And just like everyone else I love a present especially this one because it’s been handcrafted.
“Look at this – a neat piece of wood, neatly sawed, and onto it, they’ve marked this motif. Now, I’m a bit confused as to what it might be. It could be a very badly drawn elephant, ears, trunk – no eyes and legs though.
“Could be one of those double-headed tadpoles, I’ve heard about them, never seen one myself, or maybe even a badly-drawn duck – head, beak. But of course it could be a penis and some testicles, and if it is that, then what I like about it most, is whoever drew it, has drawn it to scale based on their own genitalia.
“Here’s a 50p so you can see how big that it. Now, the reason I suspect that, is because it’s unsigned. Whoever sent it, simply hasn’t got the balls to come and deliver the message themselves. Anyway, I’m going to treasure it. I’m not entirely sure what I’m going to do with it. Maybe a doorstop. I’m going to use it as a doorstop.”
Not going to stop
The latest incident is unlikely to deter Packham from his campaigning: last week he told the Daily Mirror: “I got up this morning and left the house at about six and got to the bottom of the lane. It’s about half a mile from the house so our CCTV doesn’t reach that far. And I saw the birds hanging on there and the lock to the gate had been filled with glue so I couldn’t get out.
“But I will never let these people get to me. They will never ever stop me in my pursuit of trying to make the countryside a better place for wildlife, it doesn’t matter what they do.
“Ultimately, if you’ve got enemies it’s because you stood up to someone and I will continue to do that. I’ll never give in to that intimidation. All it does is make me think I will just try harder.”
