Vegans outraged over 'ignorant' sign put up by 'psycho' butchers

Butcher's sign leaves a very sour taste in the mouth

A butcher's in Edinburgh has outraged vegans with a sign suggesting they are helping end the "violence against plants". W. M. Christie Family Butcher, located in the Bruntsfield neighbourhood of the Scottish capital, is a 133-year-old business currently run by Willie Christie, a fifth-generation member of the family. While the butchers is a staple of the high street and services a regular customer base, many vegans from the city and beyond were incensed when a photo of a chalkboard sign outside the shop was posted on Facebook, with some critics even labelling the owners "F***ing psychopaths". The Facebook post was captioned: "Spotted at family butcher in Bruntsfield, sooo funny!" and was shared by a local called Jakub Dragon. [caption id="attachment_310634" align="alignnone" width="615"]

Credit: W. M. Christie Family Butcher Facebook (no longer visible)[/caption] The 22-year-old student told Edinburgh Live: "I just think it’s nonsense, I don’t understand, how can they justify killing an animal like that. It only brings anger, and fights and I don’t find that funny. Surely eating plants is less damaging to the environment, and plants, unlike animals are not sentient." The sign reads: "Every day thousands of innocent plants are killed by vegetarians. Help end the violence. Eat meat." Another person commented on the post, saying: "You just can't say I murdered a carrot. People will cling to all sorts of nonsense to justify murdering animals.... animals that have exactly the same fundamental wishes as us - to be happy, safe, and free from suffering." Kevin Thomson exclaimed: "Jeez, the ignorance is astonishing. Plants are not sentient and exist in synergy with humans and animals as a food source. "You just can't say I murdered a carrot. People will cling to all sorts of nonsense to justify murdering animals....animals that have exactly the same fundamental wishes as us - to be happy, safe, and free from suffering."

Willie who runs the butchers with his brother was amused by the online reaction and thankful for the free advertising. "As it’s Veganary, isn’t it fitting it could be meatanury too? It wasn’t malicious in any way, just a simple joke and banter," he told Edinburgh Live. "People have taken it wrongly. We are surrounded with people telling us to go vegan and vegetarian, yet my business is a butchers. We sell meat and I’m promoting my business."