Liam Neeson is about to get a whole lot more "pissed" at New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.
On the heels of the actor's impassioned New York Times editorial urging de Blasio not to ban Central Park's horse-drawn carriages, activists on Thursday unveiled a model of the vintage-styled electric car likely to replace them -- yet another sign de Blasio's campaign promise may be fulfilled soon.
The "Horseless eCarriage," commissioned by animals rights group NYCLASS, debuted at the New York International Auto Show. The cars were designed with an antique style from the early 1900's, likely to preserve the old world character of the carriages that's proven popular with tourists.
Neeson's very public fight to save the horse-carriage trade in Manhattan -- "an entire way of life and a historic industry are under threat," he wrote -- has brought an usual amount of attention on the issue. Earlier this week, both the Times and The New York Daily News also published their own editorials arguing that the carriage business should survive.
However, De Blasio, who claims the horses are treated inhumanely has shown no signs of giving up his campaign promise to shut down the industry.
The controversy runs hot: while interviewing the mayor on the radio Thursday, Hot97 host Peter Rosenberg told de Blasio to retaliate against Neeson and "kick his ass" because he "cannot fight like he does in those movies."
"You mean it's all made up in Hollywood?" de Blasio joked, according to Gothamist. "Wait a minute, wait a minute — this is too much for me to take in the morning."
Related
Before You Go
