Vegans slam ‘psychopath’ butcher because sign outside his shop upset them

Vegans have called out family butchers in Edinburgh, Scotland, for a “vile, ignorant” sign outside the shop - but the owner chalked it up as “a simple joke and banter”.

Willie Christie, who owns W.M. Christie Butchers in Bruntsfield, received negative attention on social media after a photo of the chalkboard sign was shared on a vegan Facebook group called Vegan Edinburgh.

Jakub Dragun, who is a 22-year-old student, posted the photo to the group and wrote, “Spotted at family butcher in Bruntsfield, sooo funny!”

The sign in question said: “Every day, thousands of innocent plants are killed by vegetarians. Help end the violence. Eat meat.”

In conversation with Edinburgh Live, Dragun said that the sign would “bring anger”.

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”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.”

Some members in the Facebook group shared similar sentiments with Dragun and have dubbed the butchers as “psychopaths” for appearing to make fun of the vegan lifestyle and diet.

“F***ing psychopaths,” someone wrote.

“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 killing animals...animals that have exactly the same fundamental wishes as us - to be happy, safe and free from suffering…” another added.

A third wrote: “I know...ranting doesn’t change anything in a positive way, I even tell my kids that.....but justifying the murdering of animals with nonsense arguments just pushes my buttons!”

Someone else believed the situation should be taken in “good humour”.

“Surely we can take this in good humour. These people are running a business that has been in their family for generations. It doesn’t mean we all have to eat meat. It can’t be ok for Vegans to fly the vegan flag, and not ok for meat-eaters to do the same. Regardless of our reasons behind being vegan,” they wrote.

Regardless, Christie doesn’t seem to be alarmed by the situation. He even seems grateful for the attention.

“It wasn’t malicious in anyway, just a simple joke and banter,” he told Edinburgh Live.

“Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I respect that. I’m just expressing mine. And it seems to have worked, given the attention my butchers’ has now received.”

Indy100 reached out to Dragun for comment.