Jeremy Clarkson has addressed the viral video of a police car mowing down a baby cow who had escaped a nearby breeding farm in Surrey.
In a distressing clip that has circulated widely online, a Surrey police officer is seen striking a runaway cow twice with their vehicle.
The 10-month-old calf, called Beau Leaucy, had been loose on the street in the Staines upon Thames area in Sussex when the police officer in question rammed into the animal twice, sending it flying across the residential road before trapping it beneath the vehicle.
Clarkson, whose much-loved Prime Video series Clarkson’s Farm returned to screens for a third season in May, spoke out against the police officer’s actions on X/Twitter.
“I will vote for any party which stops the police from running over cows,” wrote the 64-year-old in reference to the forthcoming general election.
Clarkson also replied to one person who suggested he bring the topic up the next time he sees his “mate” Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
“You could tell your mate Rishi Sunak next time you pop around for a chat #ToryBoy,” they said. “Never met him but if I do, I’ll be sure to bring it up,” Clarkson replied.
People have decried the “sickening” behaviour of the police officer, calling the clip “absolutely horrifying”.
I will vote for any party which stops the police from running over cows.
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) June 16, 2024
Clarkson has spoken out several times about animal welfare since his farm-based series premiered in 2021. The show follows the former Top Gear star going about life on his Diddly Squat farm in Oxfordshire.
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He recently spoke out about how heartbroken he was after the devastating death of his piglets.
“‘I thought it would be fun to have them, and then they just died in alarming numbers,” he said, adding that he and his girlfriend Lisa Hogan are getting “more used to” such realities of farm life now.
“We’re a bit stronger at dealing with it now,” he said. “But it was a very heart-breaking time.”
Clarkson is not the only celebrity to speak out about the calf incident in Surrey, with naturalist Chris Packham calling the officer involved a “monster”.
While police claimed that they rammed the calf because it was putting the public in danger, this has been disputed by witnesses who said the animal was understandably spooked, but did not present “harm to anyone”.
Many have complained that the situation could have been handled “a lot more humanely” than what transpired. The police officer behind the wheel has been suspended pending an investigation.
The cow was subsequently returned to her owner and received veterinary treatment. According to reports, however, the animal notably did not receive medical attention at the scene.
