Location: Jarrow-on-Tyne
Affiliations: North East Hunt Monitors
John Harwood – or J Edward Edward as his Facebook is furtively named – recently made a play for sab-stardom by spouting nonsense on ITV News, much like his Warwickshire-based fellow sab-supporter Caroline Hutt.
Harwood featured in a segment for ITV News about trail hunting on 21st March 2024. Unlike the report from Channel 4 a few weeks earlier (which relied on the racist sab sympathiser Caroline Hutt for ‘expert’ commentary), the ITV report provided a clear account of what trail hunting is and how it is practised legally in the North East, interviewing several huntsmen from the local area.
Harwood is introduced as a leading figure and spokesperson for the North East Hunt Monitors. Although he has generally tried to stay out of the limelight, 20 seconds on ITV clearly seemed too good an opportunity to miss.
During the interview, he claims, “if the hounds are trained to follow the scent of fox urine and they come across a live fox they’ll chase the live fox, so there’s no need for that.”
Eloquently put by the North East Hunt Monitors’ finest.
Mysterious “John” is introduced by ITV’s Rachel Bullock as “John, who doesn’t want us to use his surname”. As ever hunt saboteurs are passionate enough about their convictions to spout rubbish on national television - they just lack the courage to tell you who they are.
By contrast, Gareth Watchman, Master Huntsman of the Zetland Hunt, and Ross Crawford, Master Huntsman at Bedale, who are also interviewed in the report, are all too happy to reveal their names and stand up for their beliefs.
Despite never revealing his full name, Harwood is given a platform by ITV - a national broadcaster with a public service remit - to spout his own inane political commentary.
“I just don’t think they’ll [hunts] change until they’re forced to change, and that’ll be a change of government and when trail hunting is eventually banned,” he opines.
Surely this kind of anonymous political sniping is best left on Twitter/X - not clogging the airways of Britain’s oldest commercial TV network.
For the most part, fortunately, the feature is balanced and actually interviews huntsman on even grounds for a change. Gareth Watchman, encourages protesters and sabs to “come and actually have a look a little bit more” at what modern hunting really is.
“I don’t think many people are actually opposed to fact of people riding across the countryside and chasing a rag, which is actually what does happen,” he adds.
Mr Watchman went on to explain why the scent of fox urine is used in trail hunting. After the 2004 Hunt Act came into effect, the use of other natural scents, such as aniseed, actually resulted in more of a risk of hounds chasing live foxes and other wildlife, not less. Thus, an animal-based scent turned out to be safest, despite the half-baked guesses of sabs like Harwood.
By contrast, while hunts take great care in choosing scents that pose the least danger to wildlife, hunt saboteurs routinely spray hounds with citronella, a registered pesticide which requires a license to use.
Citronella possesses properties that can trigger allergic reactions and extreme distress in dogs. Reports suggest that its application on hunting dogs, as commonly done by saboteurs such as Keith Richardson, can lead to stomach irritation, vomiting, neurological abnormalities, and even pneumonia. But sabs ‘love animals’...
Sadly, Mr Harwood is no different. His Facebook profile suggests his use of citronella when sabbbing, as he is shown arrogantly skipping about in his tight fitting, top-of-the-range saboteur uniform – and, naturally, masked up.
The use of citronella is a subject of extreme ethical concern and proves there is an inherent hypocrisy within saboteur groups that claim to ‘love animals’. We wonder if Facebook friend Lindsey Gilmour would think Mr Harwood had such a ‘nice arse’ if she knew he ran the risk of poisoning dogs.
Back in the news segment, Ross Crawford explained to ITV the importance of trail hunting to rural towns and villages.
“[It’s] a community, it’s a family if you like. It’s quizzes in the pub, fundraisers we do for the hunt. A lot of older generations rely on this as the social calendar and it brings everyone together, providing jobs up and down the country,” he said.
Sadly, hunt saboteurs represent a branch of society who want to do away with community, who want to see people divided, and who want to sow anarchy with their extremist views and actions.
John Hardwood might well share in these extremist beliefs, judging by the ‘art’ on his Facebook profile. In one post, he depicts a werewolf (perhaps a self-insert) holding up the severed head and torso of a huntsman, while foxes gather round.
But it’s the hunts that are bloodthirsty…
Got more information about mysterious “John”? Send a tip to info@behindthemasks.co.uk or WhatsApp 07985 517 452.