Police: No link between Zoo and TV mast attacks

POLICE have dismissed any link between attacks on Bristol Zoo Gardens and the Bathampton radio and television mast, after anarchist groups claimed responsibility for both.

Two separate statements posted on the Bristol Indymedia site appeared last week from groups claiming to have carried out the Bristol Zoo Gardens vandalism on New Year's Day and the arson at the Bathampton transmitter on January 3.

Police are still investigating both matters but say there is "nothing to suggest" the acts are linked.

An anonymous group admitted targeting the front entrance to the Zoo, smashing windows and daubing "liberate" in graffiti on an adjacent wall.

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In their statement, the activists accused the zoo of cruelty and exploitation and committed to further action in 2013.

Bristol Zoo Gardens, which has remained open since the attack, defended its conservation work.

Three days later, on January 3, a fire at Bath's TV mast site blacked out TV to tens of thousands of homes.

All homes getting Freeview TV signals from the Bathampton transmitter were affected, with national analogue and digital radio stations also off air.

The following day a statement appeared online from a group claiming to have started the fires. The group justified their actions by criticising the entertainment industry as "an important tool to manipulate human behaviour".

Police inspector Jon Hext said: "These were two acts of mindless criminality and we remain resolute in our determination to identify the people responsible.

"We will explore all the avenues available to us to bring the offenders before the courts and we continue to appeal for witnesses to the incidents to come forward.

"There is nothing to suggest these incidents are linked and our separate enquiries into both incidents continue."

Anyone with information about these incidents should contact police on 101.