The world doesn’t realise quite how much the British fear and hate wildlife. We’ve sold such a false impression of ourselves, with our Attenborough documentaries and our lecturing of the rest of the world on the importance of protecting wildlife. The writer @GeorgeMonbiot once said that for the British, wildlife falls into two categories: *game*, which you pay to kill; and *vermin*, which you pay someone else to kill. This is pretty much how it is. Our attitude towards wildlife is not only shameful, it’s also so silly: Most Brits holiday regularly across the Channel in Europe, staying in places which are full of wildlife, including some big creatures such as wolves and wild horses and bears which they don’t even notice while they’re there. We Brits really need a reset of our relationship with the natural world. It’s not as scary as we think it is!
I’ve just read that Tommy Robinson grifted thousands of pounds from his supporters to fund his defence, and then walked into the court and pleaded guilty. I’m certainly not laughing at that. Not even a chuckle. Look, OK then, maybe a smirk.
Gavin Collins was an off-duty police officer enjoying a night out in central London when he was attacked by a pair of thugs. They repeatedly punched and kicked him, even after he’d been floored. Gavin needed titanium plates in his cheek and one eye socket following the unprovoked attack.
One of the attackers had three previous convictions for similar offences of common assault in the previous three years. As it happened the thugs were brothers, and the sons of one of Britain’s richest property tycoons.
But they were in luck. When they eventually appeared before Recorder Christopher Hehir in Southwark Crown Court, the judge was in a forgiving mood. The thugs were given suspended sentences—one of 15 months and one of six months.
Fast forward to last week when the same judge had to consider a different kind of case involving two young women who did not attack anyone, but did throw a can of soup at a painting by Vincent Van Gogh.
No one needed surgery. The picture frame was moderately affected because—fun fact—tomato soup is apparently “slightly acidic”. But His Honour Christopher Hehir reacted very differently, jailing one young woman for more than two years and the other for 20 months.