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An article in The Sun labeling activists the ‘Vegan Mafia’ has been blasted by animal advocate Joey Carbstrong.
According to the tabloid, vegan activists ‘regularly threaten and intimidate farmers and their families and vandalise their land’.
Now advocate Joey Carbstrong – who was interviewed for the article, which described him as a ‘drug addict turned vegan vigilante’ – has made a YouTube video which he described as ‘destroying The Sun’s anti-vegan propaganda’.
‘Clickbait’
The headline for The Sun’s article is: “They smash up butchers, attack farmers and say milking a cow is the same as rape: meet the vegan mafia.”
It is important to note that the Kent butcher shop the story references has not – at the time of writing – been reported as being ‘smashed up’ by activists, but rather painted with pro-vegan graffiti. Speaking about this, Carbstrong said: “I guess it’s clickbait, they are trying to draw people in, and it works, but it’s ridiculous. They are the kings and queens of clickbait.”
He said there may be a small minority of people who vandalise property – but he – along with 99 percent of other vegans – condemn that kind of activity.
Joey Carbstrong’s video about The Sun’s article
Mafia
Carbstrong also questioned the outlet’s use of the word ‘Mafia’ to describe advocates.
Reading the definition of the word, he said: “An organized international body of criminals – they are labeling these ladies here [he shares an image of three peaceful advocates holding vegan signs] as mafia next to the likes of dangerous criminals.”
Speaking about the accusation that vegans compare milking cows to rape, he said: “I don’t know that anyone holds the position that doing this [mimics milking a cow] is the same as rape. I do think it’s interfering with the animal.”
Summing up the piece as a whole, Carbstrong said: “Now that’s the article. The title – absolute clickbait nonsense. ‘Vegan mafia’ is a new one, which is very creative.”
