Packham protest in Perth

The BBC presenter has stirred up huge resentment from parts of the rural community following his outspoken critic of fieldsports and what many feel is a threat to their way of life.

Mr Packham arrived at Perth Concert Hall on Tuesday 17, to give a talk on nature photography where he was met by 150 rural workers brandishing placards stating 'My daddy is a Keeper', 'No Gamekeepers no wildlife' and 'Rural communities = our jobs.'

The rural demonstration was an attempt to call on the Springwatch presenter to end what they called a ‘relentless campaign of misinformation’.

Chris Packham has backed two Westminster petitions to end grouse shooting, which supports 2500 Scottish jobs, and has mounted legal challenges to other country sports and farming.

The Fair City protesters said Packham was waging war against rural workers and their families through misinformation and unsubstantiated allegations, designed to damage their futures.

Gamekeeper and protester Allan Hodgson said: “Chris Packham is well aware of his position but he is using his celebrity status to distort the truth with un-substantiated allegations, tarring whole communities.

“He doesn’t know these communities, how they work and what binds them together," he continued. "It’s a bit rich. He hasn’t managed land in his life and knows nothing of the challenges. What he is seeking is to ban activities which bring benefits and jobs to people, helps threatened wildlife and fragile areas. Folk have had enough! If he is serious about making things better he shouldn’t start by trying to put people who manage the land every day, out of work- he should be talking to them. He has obsessive tunnel vision and is ignoring science,” he stressed.

The BBC has received a huge number of complaints accusing Mr Packham of a lack of impartiality and he was in hot water this march after labelling the shooting community as ‘psychopaths.’ The vice-president of the RSPB sparked further controversy after falsely stating on social media that farmers shot endangered Lapwings and was forced to issue an apology.

His campaign group, Wild Justice, enraged both the farming and shooting community this year by legally challenging General Licences, the permits required to control crow and pigeon populations. As the court process dragged on, farmers reported financial damage to crops, injury to livestock and the loss of dwindling birdlife.

One protester outside Perth Concern Hall said: “He is happy to mount legal challenges to fox and crow control, which helps protect rarer wildlife and farm livestock, yet he will call for deer to be slaughtered in Scotland if it fits with his own personal agenda. His concern for wildlife seems to be very selective.

“He protests against climate change yet flies off on carbon belching tours abroad and makes a business from tour parties doing the same in his name," they continued.

“Study upon study has shown that, where gamekeepers are managing for game, they are also giving a helping hand to many species which are virtually absent elsewhere in our countryside, including the nature reserves he seems to love.

“But there is no attempt to listen to that side or acknowledge the good that many long-serving land managers are doing in the countryside,” the protester concluded.