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Recent days have seen a slew of media headlines accusing vegans sending death threats to farmers.
According to reports, like this one in The Telegraph, farmers are ‘living in fear of violence’ from militant vegans.
Yet despite the extensive media coverage, no proof of the alleged death threats has been published.
Joey Carbstrong
Activist Joey Carbstrong – whose picture has featured in a number of recent articles about veganism and death threats – has spoken out about the media coverage.
In a video posted to his social media platforms, Carbstrong said: “Now, the vegan thing has gone viral across the media UK-wide and Australian media has contacted me as well.”
According to the activist, the coverage started after he appeared in a BBC segment about activism, and took part in the Jeremy Vine show.
Carbstrong discusses the allegations in this video
‘Angry’
Carbstrong says: “He had a ham sandwich on the table, I proceeded to educate him on what happens to pigs being gas chambered in the UK.
“He riled me up a bit and brought the intensity of the conversation up high, and I didn’t bring it down like I usually do.
“In retrospect in that interview with Jeremy Vine I could have been a little bit calmer and not let my emotions get in the way…people misconstrued my passion for anger, and the media has run with it.”
Tarnishing
Carbstrong says the media is ‘tarnishing vegans with the [angry] brush’, adding: “I don’t know where they are getting this from, but they are saying that vegans are giving farmers death threats, and putting my face under these headlines.
“I want to publically say I condemn any death threats from any side. If we look through my inbox I can show you death threats coming from non-vegans and farmers syaing they are going to slit my throat.
“I would like to see evidence of the alleged death threats from vegans to farmers, and if I see that, I will condemn them myself, because that is not the kind of advocacy I promote.”
Carbstrong often shares videos of his advocacy
No hate
He added that he doesn’t hate farmers – but sees them as part of a system of demand.
“Farmers are not the enemy,” he said. “The practice of enslaving, exploiting and killing animals is the enemy.”
He added that people need to keep a sense of perspective, saying he is not a victim for receiving death threats – the animals who suffer and are killed are the victims.
