The radical animal liberation group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) claims horse-drawn carriage rides are an “outdated practice” that cause “cruelty” to horses, and it is active in an initiative to ban horse carriages in New York City. Those complaints are rich coming from a group that slaughtered 82% of the cats and dogs in its care last year, and PETA’s initiative has already been met with public scorn: 64 percent of New Yorkers oppose a ban. And now PETA’s unpopular campaign is taking flak from a high-profile opponent: actor Liam Neeson.

Neeson, who has lived in New York City for more than two decades, penned an op-ed in The New York Times on April 14 slamming “animal-rights opponents” for colluding with special interest groups to outlaw one of the Big Apple’s most iconic traditions. As Neeson put it:

A majority of carriage drivers and stable hands are recent immigrants, often raised on farms in their home countries. They love their jobs and their horses, and they take pride in being ambassadors for this great city. I can’t help but see the proposed ban as a class issue: Their livelihoods are now at risk because the animal-rights opponents of the industry are well funded by real-estate interests, which has led to speculation that this powerful lobby wishes to develop the West Side properties occupied by the stables. […]

As a result, an entire way of life and a historic industry are under threat. 

The “Taken” star joins a growing list of celebrities who have been critical of PETA or its initiatives:

• Kanye West called PETA “just plain idiots” after the group criticized him for wearing a fur coat. The rapper even waxed lyrical against PETA in one of his songs.
• After PETA criticized Joe Namath for donning a fur coat while conducting the coin toss to begin Super Bowl XLVIII, the New York Jets legend shrugged it off: “It’s not the end of the world.”
• PETA took umbrage with a scene from the 2010 film “Winter’s Bone,” in which actress Jennifer Lawrence is depicted killing a squirrel for food. Lawrence responded in no uncertain terms: “Screw PETA.”
• Khloe Kardashian, who used to support PETA, called the organization “lying bullies” after an activist with close ties to PETA flour-bombed her sister, Kim.
• In an interview with Howard Stern, pop star Lady Gaga offered Stern, a major supporter of his local pet shelter, support for the animal charity of his choice. Her only condition: it couldn’t be PETA, because PETA kills animals.

Neeson’s stance against PETA’s campaign to ban horse-drawn carriages in New York City is just the latest example of celebrities crying foul over PETA’s fringe views. Even the Times, which regularly cozies up to PETA’s pals at the Humane Society of the United States, is against the carriage horse ban. As more people become aware of PETA’s radical agenda, more celebrities will continue to stand openly against it. Indeed, it seems the more PETA talks, the more credibility PETA loses.

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Check out our new site that calls out PETA for killing so many pets even as it campaigns to ban all uses of animals by people. Even caring for pets is against PETA’s principles: PETA President Ingrid Newkirk has said, “It would be lovely if we stopped this whole notion of pets altogether.”

We will continue to expose PETA for its hypocrisy and extremism. Head over to Petakillsanimals.com to see the full, graphic truth—if you can stomach it.