Former President of France Nicolas Sarkozy has come out along with actor Liam Neeson to support keeping New York City’s famous horse-drawn carriages as Mayor Bill De Blasio seeks to ban the industry.
Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni took their young daughter Giulia in one of the carriages for a ride through Central Park on Wednesday.
When asked if he thinks the carriages should stay, Sarkozy offered up an enthusiastic ‘yes’, the New York Daily News reports.
Such vitriol. What would prompt two New Yorkers to stand on a cold New York street early in the morning holding a sign calling for De Blasio’s dearh? The new mayor is planning to rid the city of the horse drawn carriges, a staple of Central Park in Manhattan, and people are really upset about that.
Calling the horse drawn carriages “inhumane” de Blasio promised to quickly end the practice.
“We are going to quickly and aggressively move to make horse carriages no longer a part of the landscape in New York City,” de Blasio said, according to NBC New York. “They are not humane. … It’s over.”
Animal rights advocacy groups lauded de Blasio’s pledge.
“We believe that the use of carriage horses in 21st century New York City is unnatural, unnecessary, and an undeniable strain on the horses’ quality of life,” Stacy Wolf, senior vice president of the ASPCA’s Anti-Cruelty Group, said in an email to NBC News.
Carriage operators beg to differ.
Stephen Malone, who’s been in the business for 26 years, told NBC News that he anticipates a long and contentious bout with de Blasio over the proposed ban.
“We look forward to having a long battle with him,” he said.
According to Malone, who’s father began in the business in 1964, there have been only three horse fatalities due to traffic in 30 years.
Malone added that he and and the other carriage owners are willing to sue de Blasio and the city if need be to protect their livelihoods.
One carriage and horse owner, who asked only to be identified as Robert, told NBC News on Monday that the carriage ride is iconic to the city.
“People expect us to be here,” he said. “It’s like taking away the Empire State Building. It’s the same as taking the (Christmas) tree from Rock Center.”
Since Central Park opened in 1857, horse-drawn carriages have traveled through the park in its sundry narrow passage ways, Sid Kolo, field manager for New York Central Park Tours, told NBC News.
