The ongoing battle over the fate of Central Park's carriage horses has escalated to the courtroom, where the Transport Workers Union, representing the carriage horse drivers, has filed a lawsuit against the animal rights group NYCLASS for what it describes as a "malicious" smear campaign. The suit, demanding at least $1 million in damages, accuses the group of disseminating false information about the industry and its workers, according to a report by The New York Post.
NYCLASS, which has long advocated for the replacement of horse-drawn carriages with electric cars, has argued that the industry is inhumane, with instances of horses collapsing and dying on public streets; however, the union has countered these claims, presenting medical records to support their stance and arguing that recent deaths were caused by natural causes and an undetected disease rather than neglect, as NYCLASS has purported in posts alleged by the lawsuit, cited by Gothamist.
In a twist to the unfolding legal drama, the union has further claimed that NYCLASS's motivations are rooted in real estate interests, citing a past statement from NYCLASS cofounder Steve Nislick indicating the release of land currently occupied by the stables could be beneficial for development, an accusation supported by comments made by union Vice Chair Alexander Kemp stating that NYCLASS's origins in the real estate industry put their motives into question, as reported by Gothamist. NYCLASS has pushed back against these allegations, with director Edita Birnkrant labeling the lawsuit a "desperate attempt" by a faltering industry and maintaining that the safety of both the public and the horses are at the heart of their campaigning, as highlighted by several instances where horses collapsed in public areas.
The suit also takes issue with proposed legislation known as Ryder's Law, which would phase out the city's horse carriages, suggesting the law is founded on a "false narrative" with the Transport Workers Union accusing NYCLASS of "torturously interfered" with the carriage horse industry by targeting customers with what the union describes as "knowingly false claims," aiming to dismantle the carriage horse driver's livelihoods, as per the allegations from court filings covered by The New York Post.
Furthermore, the union's claims include accusations that NYCLASS has spread a "pattern of lies" concerning the treatment and end-of-life outcomes for the horses, specifically mentioning a carriage horse found at an auction despite having a different owner history than what the advocacy group had depicted, the lawsuit additionally refers to a suggestion that the carriage industry could stand to gain financially from the sale of stables which NYCLASS believes could generate substantial tax revenue for the city, a claim the union argues exposes the group's ulterior motives, information attributed to The New York Post coverage. However, NYCLASS has defended its founder Stephen Nislick's commitment to not involve himself in any potential redevelopment projects related to the carriage horse stables, even offering to formalize the pledge though an agreement, as mentioned in their statement in relation to the case.
