Vegan charity claims ‘gas chamber’ advert was ‘censored’ despite previous apology

Viva had expressed regret over the offence caused by its campaign, acknowledging the words’ ‘uniquely horrific associations’ with the Holocaust, but now insists it was ‘telling the truth’

A vegan charity that had expressed regret to Jewish News regarding its bus advert ‘Next stop, the gas chamber’ has now posted a blog that complains about the ad being “censored”.

Juliet Gellatley, founder and director of Viva, told Jewish News shortly before Transport for London banned the campaign, which ran on the outside of double-decker vehicles in north London, that she understood the “horrific associations” of the words ‘gas chamber’.

Gellatley had said: “We fully appreciate the uniquely horrific associations that the words ‘gas chamber’ have with the Holocaust and no comparison with the Holocaust was intended.”

But in a post on the charity’s website this week Craig Thorpe, coordinator of Viva’s public campaigns, wrote of the gas chamber advert: “Viva is once again being censored for telling people the truth about animal agriculture. We used those words because they describe what happens.”

He added: “These installations are chambers filled with gas. Conscious pigs are lowered into a chamber or pit containing extremely high concentrations of carbon dioxide, where they struggle for breath and suffer severe distress before they lose consciousness. ‘Next stop’ referred to the journey pigs make to these killing systems. It was never meant to cast bus passengers as victims.”

Thorpe went on to defend the adverts as local to Uxbridge, even though they were seen on buses in Mill Hill and Burnt Oak, 14 miles away from Uxbridge.

“Our ads targeted Uxbridge because that is where Pilgrim’s Europe, one of the UK’s biggest pork producers, quietly bases its headquarters… Our bus adverts used simple messaging to raise awareness, calling on people to find out more and take action.”

TfL, which had originally approved the advert, reversed that decision following contacted from this newspaper. It said at the time: “We continuously work to ensure public transport is a safe environment for everyone and always consider how an advert may be received.” After reviewing its decision it had ordered the ads to be removed “as soon as possible”.

Viva has been contacted for comment.