Badger cull protesters claim Peak District town turns into ‘war zone’

Protesters took over the streets of Bakewell last Sunday to mark the start of Derbyshire’s third year of controversial badger culling.

Camo-wearing campaigners joined a badger costumed protestor, trapped in a cage, while holding banners saying ‘stop the cull’ and ‘save our badgers’.

Pantomime of camo-wearing shooters brandishing guns, while a badger costumed protestor is trapped in a cage, brought to life the shocking reality of the cull.

placeholder image — Pantomime of camo-wearing shooters brandishing guns, while a badger costumed protestor is trapped in a cage, brought to life the shocking reality of the cull.

Derbyshire Against The Cull has held previous demonstrations at Chatsworth, and Haddon Hall.

A spokesperson said: “For six weeks each autumn our countryside turns into a ‘war zone’.

the protesters claimed that killing the badger is an 'easy way' of fighting TB disease and vaccinations should be introduced instead.

“Culling started in Derbyshire in 2020, after the 2019 cull was put on hold, following a request for a reprieve due to Derbyshire hosting the leading badger vaccination, however in Autumn 2020, and 2021 a total of 4,348 Badgers were culled in Derbyshire.”

The cull is a controversial scheme to tackle Bovine Tuberculosis, a bacterial infection spread among cattle.

Badgers can carry TB.