Violent assault on activist at driven hunt
Hunt Watch condemns intimidation, threats and physical violence.
On the morning of 17.12.2025, a violent assault took place on a peaceful Hunt Watch activist during a driven hunt observation in the area of Füllinsdorf and Arisdorf (BL).
The activist was alone on a public forest path documenting the hunting activity when she was verbally confronted by a beater involved in the hunt.
What has been documented so far
What followed were massive boundary violations. The man verbally abused and threatened the activist and was physically aggressive on two occasions. He finally grabbed her roughly and threw her violently to the ground. The activist briefly lost hold of her mobile phone in the process. The incident was documented on video.
Another female beater present witnessed the assault and intervened verbally by demanding that the attacker leave the activist alone.
During the incident, the man was holding a stick-like object with a metal rake attached. He also appeared to be carrying a longer bladed weapon on his belt. These objects were not actively used. The incident nonetheless raises serious questions about this individual's personal suitability for participating in hunts and about the handling of potentially dangerous objects.
It is a fundamental principle of a constitutional state that no one oversees themselves. Yet this very principle is repeatedly undermined in the context of hobby hunting. Hobby hunters engage in activities involving the killing of animals, the use of firearms, and operations in public spaces. These are highly sensitive areas that must be subject to mandatory external, neutral oversight. No one would accept a situation in which: drivers adjudicate their own traffic offences, police officers investigate without external oversight, or companies self-monitor their own environmental compliance. Why should hobby hunting of all things be an exception? Oversight by bodies close to the hunting community is therefore not neutral, but structurally compromised.
Explosive: possible role of the perpetrator
Particularly explosive is the finding by Hunt Watch researchers that the alleged perpetrator is reported to be a game warden and wildlife officer from another canton.
For the purposes of legal classification, it is crucial whether a person is actually appointed in an official capacity and in what function they are acting. Designations such as 'wildlife officer' or 'game warden' are sometimes used imprecisely in public communication.
Legal classification in brief
A wildlife officer or game warden exercises official authority only within their own canton. In another canton, they have no official powers. They may neither carry out inspections, issue directives, nor use coercion there. As soon as a person acts outside their own canton, they are in principle treated as a private individual.
Physical violence, threats, or intimidation are criminal offences, including in a hunting context, and may also give rise to civil law claims. The question of personal suitability for a public office may furthermore become relevant under employment law in the event of an act of violence.
Particularly sensitive is the carrying of objects with a potential for violence: stick-like implements, rakes, knives, or bladed weapons are not hunting weapons in the strict sense. Depending on the circumstances, carrying them may be construed as an act of intimidation or as creating a danger. In combination with aggressive behaviour, this may be of criminal relevance. It is unacceptable that the recreational hunting community effectively sets its own rules and oversees itself. Those who carry weapons, kill animals, and operate in public spaces must be subject to clear, external state oversight. Anything less is contrary to the principles of the rule of law.
Criminal complaint filed, video handed over to authorities
Hunt Watch condemns this assault in the strongest possible terms. Intimidation, threats, and violence against people are unacceptable in any situation and can be justified under no circumstances.
The activist concerned immediately filed a criminal complaint with the police of the canton of Basel-Landschaft. The video recordings have been made available to the prosecuting authorities.
The driven hunt continued despite the incident. Hunt Watch remained present on site with a team.
Protection of those affected is the priority
In the hours following the assault, the situation escalated further. The activist was contacted privately on multiple occasions and subjected to severe intimidation. As a result of this threatening situation, she felt compelled to obtain a restraining and no-contact order from the competent civil court in order to better protect herself.
To protect those affected, Hunt Watch has decided to temporarily deactivate the published video footage of the assault.
Hunt Watch cannot be intimidated. At the same time, it is a duty to protect the people who document hunting activities on the front lines and are regularly exposed to hostility.
We trust that the competent authorities will fully investigate the incident, provide effective protection to those affected, and hold those responsible to account.
FAQ: Hunting Observation and the Rights of the Public
Is it permitted to observe hunts in Switzerland?
Yes. Observing hunts is generally permitted, provided it takes place from publicly accessible paths or areas. Forests in Switzerland are generally open to the public. Merely observing or documenting a hunt does not constitute interference.
Is it permitted to film or photograph hobby hunters?
Yes, filming and photography are permitted in public spaces. The conditions are that:
- no dangerous situations are created
- no deliberate obstruction of hunting activities occurs
- personal rights are respected, particularly with regard to the publication of recordings
The production of visual material for the purpose of documenting an event is permissible. In the case of a hunt conducted with firearms, a legitimate public interest is well justifiable, particularly where questions of safety, animal welfare, or lawful conduct are concerned.
Important:
Filming in itself does not justify threats or physical intervention.
Is it permitted for hunting participants to order observers away or check their identity?
No. Hunting participants have no police powers. They are neither permitted to check a person's identity, nor to order them away or intimidate them. Powers of authority rest exclusively with the competent authorities and only within the scope of their statutory jurisdiction. A hobby hunter has no police powers entitling them to damage, seize, or destroy another person's property.
What applies in the case of out-of-canton game wardens or wildlife officers?
Official powers apply exclusively within one's own canton. Outside their canton, wildlife officers or game wardens act in a legal capacity as private individuals and have no special rights with respect to the public.
What to do in the event of threats, coercion, or violence?
- Create distance and prioritise personal safety
- Document the incident if possible
- Notify the police
- File a criminal complaint in the event of injury or threat
Violence, threats, and intimidation are criminal offences, regardless of the hunting context. Escalatory conduct harms not only one's own position, but the entire practice of hunting. Physical intervention would be unlawful even in cases of unauthorised filming. Regardless of this, the incident reveals a structural problem in the way some hobby hunters respond to public scrutiny.
Is it permitted to actively disrupt hunts?
No. Actively disrupting a lawful hunt may be a criminal offence. However, passive observation and documentation from public paths is permitted. Mere filming or observation does not generally constitute active disruption, particularly where no visible impact on wildlife occurs.
What is Hunt Watch?
Hunt Watch documents hunting activities in public spaces and advocates for the protection of people and animals. Its work is carried out nonviolently, transparently, and within the framework of applicable law.
Wild beim Wild
