New York City Council Speaker and 2013 mayoral contender Christine Quinn is being asked to reconsider her support for New York’s horse and carriage industry after a shocking new video shows an Irish horse driver verbally abusing a group of women leafleting against the industry with racist and homophobic slurs.
PETA spokeswoman and tennis legend Martina Navratilova has written to Quinn, who is openly gay and who wed her longtime partner Kim Catullo in May, to ask her to reconsider her support in light of the driver’s shocking outburst.
Navratilova claims the incident is further proof that the industry, which historically has been a major employer of Irish drivers, needs an overhaul.
The hateful and bigoted abuse directed at the women by the carriage driver is proof, Navratilova wrote, that everything about the industry is stuck in the 19th century.
The video, first shown by the website TowleRoad.com, has been uploaded to YouTube under the title “Horse Drawn Carriage Driver Rant.” It shows a bowler-hatted Irish driver with a Northern Irish accent verbally berating the unseen group of protestors during Gay Pride Weekend last month. First he raises his index finger at the camera, and then he unleashes a torrent of abuse.
“Are you still bribing the politicians, you c**t’s?” he asks the women. Then he adds, “Yeah, yeah, yeah. A little dyke convention. You have a big dyke convention here?”
As he walks away he addresses an African American woman. “F....ing n****r,” he says.
The video concludes with the question, “If you wouldn’t trust this person to treat a horse kindly then please avoid horse drawn carriages.”
The driver, who reportedly has 20 years experience as a day driver in Manhattan, has been disciplined for his outburst according to Stephen Malone, spokesman for the Horse and Carriage Association who spoke to the Irish Voice on Tuesday.
“This was definitely a bad moment for us without a doubt,” Malone acknowledged. However, the drivers outside Central Park are being subjected to constant campaign of picketing and leafleting, he added.
“It needs to be brought to everyone’s attention the thousands of hours of harassment that is focused on us every Saturday and Sunday.”
The Irish driver in the video was himself the subject of verbal harassment from the protestors before the filming began, Malone said.
“There are a lot of hours of footage that will never be reported. He was called an Irish bastard before this,” Malone added.
“The level of abuse on 59th Street is at the point where it is almost unbearable. Protestors are allowed to picket under our feet. They should not be allowed in range of someone with a camera.”
Nevertheless, Malone said the association takes responsibility for the driver’s outburst.
“There will be an official apology made from the driver. We will work hard to make sure it won’t happen again.”
Watch the video below: VIEWER WARNING this clip contains strong language:
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Barry | Dec 15, 2012, 07:49 PM EST
Another Irish-American bigot. What a surprise.
Scottmcgowan | Jul 21, 2012, 04:39 PM EDT
the guy is a bigot. However, I doubt if he represents the membership of the horse carriage owners - and he certainly does not represent the majority of the 8 million or so residents of NYC. Why is it that whatever the problem is, some other idiot has to bring in the Catholic Church? Now that is also biogotry and such people have a serious problem!
Pittsburghkid | Jul 21, 2012, 02:15 PM EDT
Modern censorship. If you disagree with the Liberal, then you are given a label. In the future these label will be considered mental disorders, that will confine you to a mental hospital. Liberals are the modern day NAZI's. This site is dispicable.
BrianO | Jul 21, 2012, 09:09 AM EDT
my before published comments have been censored.
dingle999 | Jul 21, 2012, 01:43 AM EDT
WoundedKnee you mentioned the Catholic Church first - go on call yourself a nut :)) The guy in the video with the stupid hat is a bigot. Pure and simple. And people making comments 'oh there is more to the story' WTF there is no DEFENSE for what the turd said...
sirpeter | Jul 20, 2012, 02:25 PM EDT
Georgie Boy.I guess you have to be careful who you use foul language to in the USA when 47% of American adults currently report that they have a gun in their home or elsewhere on their property.But why are American people addicted to guns?
WoundedKnee | Jul 20, 2012, 12:26 PM EDT
dingle: I think you were addressing me. Rewrite your post without the F word (why are Irish people so addicted to foul language?) and I may reply, though the relevance of Midnight Mass to this discussion is something only a nut like you can see.
TisEyerish | Jul 20, 2012, 10:31 AM EDT
I cannot excuse the man's language or his obvious racism. However, this short clip does NOT give us the full story and is quite obviously slanted. I, for one, would like to know what transpired prior to the man's outburst before I accuse him of anything. Haven't we all said things we don't really mean in anger? I know that I have...and I'll bet anyone reading this article has, as well.
dingle999 | Jul 20, 2012, 09:34 AM EDT
"when homosexuals invaded St Patrick's cathedral and desecrated it. Two wrongs don't make a right." Are you f.. serious ? you never been to Midnight mass in a Catholic church on Christmas Eve in Ireland ?
IrelandNorth | Jul 20, 2012, 08:49 AM EDT
C'mon guys! Stop manufacturing crises to promote alternative lifestyles. They world doesn't revolve around your silly little ding dongs/punanies. Heliogenitality is distinctly churlish. Readers are being mesmerised to sleep with interminable converage of sexual inversion stories. Poor little things. A good way to minimise the existential angst of this world is to reduce the size of ones ego. Egotistical flaccidity is the key to metaphysical happiness.
ranger1640 | Jul 20, 2012, 07:03 AM EDT
This Irish carriage driver is just saying publicly what that other large body of Irish think and say the AoH. The AoH who organise the St Patrick's day parade in New York, are also anti-Gay and Lesbian bigots, I wonder is he a member of the AoH.
eiriamach | Jul 19, 2012, 07:22 PM EDT
BrianO, although I believe in calling a bigot a bigot (as I did below), I don't recall using abusive language about your Catholicism or your conservatism. Please quote an instance. Also, I hope you're not sliding into a persecuted-Catholic mindset. I've been wondering about IC's persecuted Catholics-- where are they lately? They are the first (and second, third, twentieth, etc.) to yell "anti-Catholic" when an IC article reports an episode in the sex abuse scandals, but when IC commenters write anti-Semitic or racist comments, they are strangely silent. Take a look at the appallingly racist comments on the article "Racist bullying of migrants in Irish schools..." or "Jewish Irish minister accused of being prejudiced..." or "Irish woman victim of vicious assault in the Bronx." They complain about perceived anti-Catholic bias but are indifferent to bias against other religions and non-Irish ethnic groups. If their sensitivity flowed from genuine Christian caritas, they'd extend it to Jews and non-whites as such, and not reserve it just for themselves. Or does ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ refer only to Catholic neighbors?
hollabackgurl | Jul 19, 2012, 06:06 PM EDT
I haven't heard anyone call a Catholic or conservative a 'dy-e' or an 'n' word in my life but if they did I would be the first to condemn them for their bigoted hate speech. Sadly you can't do likewise. I think that's telling.
BrianO | Jul 19, 2012, 04:12 PM EDT
Eiramach, we all know that abusive language is only tolerated when it is against the Catholics or Consevatives.
eiriamach | Jul 19, 2012, 02:55 PM EDT
It's troubling that some posters here think this man may have had an excuse for his homophobic, misogynist, and racist remarks. Regardless of what was said to him, he has no excuse! He can walk away from abusive language, he can indulge in personal insults against someone who has insulted him, but using abusive language about groups such as women, gays, and ethnic minorities places him in the category of personae non gratae. People who think there are excuses for racism can always dream up some excuse for their racism, and the same for gay bashing and woman bashing. You're delusional if you think you can ever justify it. @angrypaddy, he may have said what YOU think, but you are not everybody, and you certainly don't speak for me, so let's have a little less arrogance from you, please.
BrianO | Jul 19, 2012, 01:20 PM EDT
Always support someone who fights back, the days of taking your abuse is over. Be what you want to be but leave others alone, when you don't leave others alone expect pushback. I know your tactics no matter what I say you will attempt to slur me, go ahead, These days a judge a man by the content of his character not his politics.
angrypaddy | Jul 19, 2012, 11:31 AM EDT
He is only saying what avery body thinks,but is afraid to say!its not politically correct is it?
hollabackgurl | Jul 19, 2012, 10:50 AM EDT
We're not 'accusing' this man of being homophobic or a racist, he's already demonstrated he is on camera. I'm not sure how much proof you'd need Manhattan? I understand this man takes a different view from the protestors but there was no need to resort to heinous language.
pilib04 | Jul 19, 2012, 10:37 AM EDT
Rebelforce, Scotch is a drink and a form of clear tape. It is not a nationality! The proper term is Scots-Irish or Ulster- Scots.
pilib04 | Jul 19, 2012, 10:35 AM EDT
Whoa, I am against Racism and homophobia as much as anyone who posts here. However, this article is unclear what the protests were about and became simply an attack on Irish-American Drivers. Protesting someone's livelihood is a good way to get the blood boiling. Particularly if they work for a living and all you do is play a game and make millions. Again, there is NO excuse for Racism and Homophobia, but there is also NO excuse for trying to take away someone's job.
manhattan | Jul 19, 2012, 10:04 AM EDT
I think for a minute you can stop wringing your hands over what you are accusing people here of being homophobic and racists. To often bleeding hearts like you are quick to call those who disagree "living in the 19th century, or that I sound like a bad Hemingway novel? As I and others here have said "what did the other side do or say to the driver? When I said "don't mess with an Irishman" it's because they will give as well as they receive. I believe this man was pushed to the limit and really Hollabackgurl relax already.
hollabackgurl | Jul 19, 2012, 09:28 AM EDT
It's always sad to see a grown man condone racism and homophobia. It's worse to see them try to rationalize it. There is no excuse for this man's hateful outburst, or for the people here engaged in a pathetic attempt to justify it.
BrianO | Jul 19, 2012, 08:39 AM EDT
I condone the mans language, It is his, if it costs him business that is his fault. Don't control his or any others speech. Toughen up.
WoundedKnee | Jul 19, 2012, 02:50 AM EDT
I don't condone this man's language, but I am old enough to remember an incident that just happened a few hundred yards away, when homosexuals invaded St Patrick's cathedral and desecrated it. Two wrongs don't make a right.
Schon | Jul 18, 2012, 10:44 PM EDT
The Irish git is from Belfast; you can tell from his accent. He sounds just like me and I'm from West Belfast. He is not wearing a bowler hat like what the Orange men wear. Claire2... Look at the hat. Why do you suggest that it is a bowler hat, which it obviously is not, and from this infer that the git is an Orange man? Its the type of hat you see on little Irish souvenir dolls wearing a waist cost, with ginger hair and beard, stub upturned nose and the hat you see in the video. I believe it is, appropriately enough, a Coachmans hat. Usually there is a shamrock sitting on the hat brim. The doll might be representative of a leprechaun. Does this sound representative of the wicked Northern Protestant, do you think? Are you a progagandist for republicanism, sullying an organisation, blackening its name to the uninformed? Are you a syncopantic sterotypical republican or just plain ignorant?
Claire2 | Jul 18, 2012, 09:18 PM EDT
While I don't condone this man's foul language, I think, in the interest of fairness, the preceding comments should have been included in the video. Another point, this guy has a Northern Irish accent and is wearing a bowler hat. The bowler hat bears certain connotations for most Irish people, i.e. Orangeman.
durtymurphy | Jul 18, 2012, 08:31 PM EDT
Wow, where did they find this guy? Maybe he just dosen't know that racism et al is over, as WarrenpointOO also didn't get the memo about the savages of Donegal or Monaghan, as we all know there are no nutters from Warrenpoint, Yes folks the old Bernard Manning jokes are gone, why, I have not been called a Honkey in yonks, and my Yid friends are all referred to as Jewish Gentlemen these days. But the wars folks, the wars,the constant killing of the black and gay Iraqis,the gay Palastinians,not to mention the murder of thier goats,dogs, chickens and camels, by our civilised world, there is enough over there to keep PETA, the ACLU, NAACP any anyone else busy for a long time. Go after the elites who cause the slaughter, then when that is all done, you will have plenty of time to get to old retarded Irish guy in NYC.
Rebelforce | Jul 18, 2012, 07:55 PM EDT
He's wearing one of those silly-looking Orangeman bowler hats, how do you know he isn't Scotch-Irish?
hollabackgurl | Jul 18, 2012, 07:49 PM EDT
You're free to disagree with the left and right till the cows come home, but anyone who uses the n word or calls women dyk-s is a ghastly stunted ogre who would be better off keeping their hate speech confined to their own homes. I'm sad to see you rationalize his misbehavior. You're being a drama queen with your talk of Chairman Mao. You ought to be able to lament hate speech and racism without crying that your free speech is somehow being oppressed by president Obama. I'm disappointed in you.
timbobdennehy | Jul 18, 2012, 07:15 PM EDT
northern irish not irish.
BrianO | Jul 18, 2012, 06:50 PM EDT
@hollabck,***shows a bowler-hatted Irish driver with a Northern Irish accent verbally berating the unseen group of protestors during Gay Pride Weekend** exept from above article. *** if you do not agree with the left then you are"unfit for human society" very telling, I believe Mao believed the same thing, these are the people that support Obama, agree or be unfit for human society.
irishpjk | Jul 18, 2012, 05:48 PM EDT
wtf I believe that the first amendment allows those women to come there and break his chops. Now does that same amendment give him the right to speak his mind? What does how he responded to harassment have to do with how he treats a horse? Girls leave the man and his horse alone and you won’t be bothered, if you are going to harass him again let me know I might join him.
hollabackgurl | Jul 18, 2012, 04:20 PM EDT
Don't mess with an Irishman? Spare us the macho bs, Manhattan. Or are you living in the 19th century too? You sound like a bad Hemingway novel. This man isn't an example of an Irishman, hes a hateful bigoted swaggering disgrace. I've been provoked by many in my life but I have never resorted to his kind of verbal abuse. It's not strength it's weakness to behave like that.
manhattan | Jul 18, 2012, 03:40 PM EDT
How about us hearing what the protestors were saying to him. I don't excuse what he said but if you want a kinder and gentler response don''t mess with an Irishman. If you want PC look elsewhere. They take a lot of crap but are just trying to make a living. Also, they take very good care of the horses.
connemaragirl | Jul 18, 2012, 02:10 PM EDT
When i see what provoked this man l will make no comment either for or against,there's two sides to every story all I see is one.
eiriamach | Jul 18, 2012, 01:13 PM EDT
Yes, he has his freedom of speech! Yes, he can make homophobic, sexist, and racist remarks in public, and the rest of us have OUR freedom of speech to call him and his ilk bigoted b*st*rds. But is there any Irish group in NYC that will denounce his bigotry from the viewpoint of Irish culture? On the basis of my all-too-consistent experience with Irish American groups in the area, I'm sure there is none. It's pitiful because that's what his behavior calls for-- a collective rejection of all "excuses" for bigotry, and rejection of those who support bigotry with political campaigns against LGBT rights, women's autonomy, and equal respect for minorities and immigrants. As long as they refuse to take a stand, Irish cultural and language groups are safe havens for haters.
hollabackgurl | Jul 18, 2012, 01:07 PM EDT
The article does not claim the protestors were gay, it says they filmed the man's outburst on Pride weekend, which is a major event in the city. That does not imply they were gay, unless a concern for animal welfare implies you're gay. I suspect as much from BrianO's comments. It's not 'politically incorrect' to call women dyk-s or black people the n word, it's reprehensible. It makes you unfit for human society.
garbo55 | Jul 18, 2012, 01:07 PM EDT
When it comes to the Gay/ PETA crowd it seem they can say and do what they want without repercussions. Hollabackgurl you say you never saw a gay person hate straights, news for you ,every time they protest they get in your face and start screaming their demands at you if that ain't hate then what is, and PETA has a record of assaulting people by throwing red paint on them. Its funny how whenever a video shows up on the news that the part that is left out is the very beginning of the confrontation, all that is shown is the last few seconds. Although his language was inappropriate I for one will not blame him until I see a video for the beginning.
howareya | Jul 18, 2012, 12:54 PM EDT
Obviously this guy went over the top and should never have said those things. He certainly appears to be a bigoted so and so. However, knowing PETA, I have no doubt that this was preplanned. They found some poor slob that looked like a culchie and harassed him until he broke. Not making excuses for this guy as there is no excuse for the racist and homophobic things he said. I was a member of PETA years ago, and though I am thoroughly for animal WELFARE, PETA goes too far into animal RIGHTS. Read Animal Liberation by Peter Sanger!
warrenpoint00 | Jul 18, 2012, 12:48 PM EDT
Sounds like a disgusting Irish free state ranting accent to me....maybe a Donegal or Monaghan one. This rant certainly would not be the expressed opinion of the majority of all Irish people.
WoundedKnee | Jul 18, 2012, 12:46 PM EDT
hollabackgirl: Your slur on Alabama shows that you are just as bigoted as the guy you're attacking.
kilgara | Jul 18, 2012, 12:42 PM EDT
Just how does this video justify trying to take away honest, working peoples right to make a living?Who cares what some people said to each other?
FastEddy | Jul 18, 2012, 12:38 PM EDT
1) Those clowns were picketing His business and driving away His customers. What part of "restraint of trade" don't you get? What would You do if it was personally costing You money? ... 2) It does not appear that His comments were misdirected. The crowd of clowns was constituted in part by gay members, and He was right in His determinations of sexual orientation. ... 3) It is New York City after all, and New Yorkers are not completely politically correct at all times ... Duh!
donal1951 | Jul 18, 2012, 12:30 PM EDT
Without taking sides in the horse-drawn carriage controversy as I'm no fan of PETA, this driver's behaviour was horrid. He certainly did the industry no favours by his racist behaviour.
BrianO | Jul 18, 2012, 11:55 AM EDT
The PETA crowd harassing him too, why is the GAY protest attached to the PETA protesters? Because nether groups leaders give a crap about gay rights or animal rights, they only care about attacking business, freedom, choice, free speech, religion, free markets, individual rights and freedom,for their ultimate goal of socialist statism. WHERE"S the line in the story** 20 year veteran of horse carriage business victim of verbal attacks from organized Gay and socialist antagonists. I'll hold my breath for that one
BrianO | Jul 18, 2012, 11:47 AM EDT
GAY PROTESTERS read the story, how would I know anyone is gay, they are just other people to me, one no different than the any other.
hollabackgurl | Jul 18, 2012, 11:35 AM EDT
P.S. BrianO, how does it feel to have to rationalize the disgusting behavior of events you didn't witness in defense of a man you don't know? I have never see a gay person hate a heterosexual simply for being heterosexual in my life. But I've seen hundreds of straight people belittle, insult and bash gays. Also, this man is a racist. You do yourself no favors trying to defend him.
hollabackgurl | Jul 18, 2012, 11:22 AM EDT
It's not what he does for a living, it's what he says when he opens his ignorant mouth that's at fault. You seem like an intelligent person BrianO, I'm sure you understood that too.
BrianO | Jul 18, 2012, 11:21 AM EDT
@culcie, try to work with the gay/animal rights crowd in your face, I bet your patience would be tested.
culchiewoman | Jul 18, 2012, 10:57 AM EDT
I'm an Irish-born bastard and quite proud of it. I wouldn't consider that a slur. But I agree with WoundedKnee, I've met my share of 80's immigrants who seemed to develop an unnatural bigotry the minute they hit Port Authority. Then again, my grandparents, who emigrated from Galway and Mayo in the early 20's, also showed astounding xenophobia and bigotry. I don't get it.
BrianO | Jul 18, 2012, 10:53 AM EDT
The man makes a living carting people around with his horse. This is a crime to the left for 1. he is not on welfare 2. Is relying on himself. The guy I would bet doesn't like taking crap from people, I'm sure the PETA crowd levels all sort of crap at him. You poke a tiger and it will bite. The gay PROTESTERS didn't like being called gay names, what do they want to be recognized as gay or to be treated like just another human? If you shove your Gayness in someones face then expect to receive resistance. This stunt was performed for one reason, publicity. Find a gruff unknowing working guy, get in his face, bait him on, and tape the reaction. Typical.
hollabackgurl | Jul 18, 2012, 10:47 AM EDT
What an advertisement for New York tourist industry. He's a class act. I know that we can't judge the horse and carriage industry by the actions of one hateful bigoted lout, but this guy is in NYC not Alabama and he deserves the storm that's coming to him.
bogsidebunny | Jul 18, 2012, 10:35 AM EDT
Ah suren, the Lad will grow out of it!
JimmieM | Jul 18, 2012, 10:16 AM EDT
It looks to me like if they had not been following, and possibly getting it this guys face....they never would have heard his rant....he was walking away....they were keeping up. and so he should not be allowed to make a living?
BulldogMania | Jul 18, 2012, 10:10 AM EDT
It's called FREE SPEECH! I realize the radicalized liberal media is shoving homosexuality down everyone's throats, but that doesn't mean we are paying attention to any of it. This man is free to say anything he wants.
WoundedKnee | Jul 18, 2012, 09:53 AM EDT
When I was much younger I had a lot of contact with the illegal Irish immigrants who came here in the late 1980s. Well, I had, for a while, because I quickly grew to dislike them. One thing I noticed was that they were scarcely a wet weekend in the US when they had adopted and were using all the nastiest prejudices and ugly slur language that most Americans will never utter. Anti-black, of course, but also anti-Hispanic. I often asked myself--where did these people learn bigotry in the space of just a week or two? They had never met a Hispanic before they left Ireland, yet in just a few days they had "learned" to hate Hispanics. In the case depicted here, it sounds like that guy has been living here for a good while, as there is a definite American tinge to his North of Ireland accent. Wonder what visa program he came in on? A scarce skills visa program for horse sh1t?
johnozed | Jul 18, 2012, 09:27 AM EDT
Yeah I doubt they called him an Irish bastard, though he did rise to the occasion and become an Irish bastard right before their eyes.