It's been almost 30 years since The Smiths first proclaimed that "meat is murder," and legendary frontman Morrissey is still spreading the pro-vegetarian message every chance he gets.
In honour of the music icon's 55th birthday on 22 May – which falls in the middle of National Vegetarian Week – PETA hit Moz's hometown of Manchester with a "clean advertising" campaign, using stencils to wash away public areas, leaving messages proclaiming, "Meat Is Still Murder".
PETA has used the stencils (image available here) to create eye-catching street art at 20 locations throughout the city.
"We're certain that Moz will be delighted by our effort to clean up Manchester's dirty pavements with our 'Meat Is Still Murder' message", says PETA Associate Director Mimi Bekhechi. "Morrissey's commitment to speaking up for animals is the real 'light that never goes out', and we look forward to celebrating his birthday for many more years to come."
Morrissey, PETA's 2011 Person of the Year, is a long-time PETA supporter. He recently donated the only signed copy of his hardback autobiography to be auctioned off, raising £8,300 for PETA, and he donated a £10,000 settlement to PETA's campaign against foie gras – a settlement reached after Channel 4 used a song by The Smiths without permission in ads for a show starring foie gras–loving chef Gordon Ramsay. Moz also posed with a cat on his head for a famous PETA campaign to promote spaying and neutering companion animals.
Vegetarians such as Morrissey don't just save animals from immense suffering on factory farms, in abattoirs and on the decks of fishing boats – they also have a lower carbon footprint as well as a lower risk of developing heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity.
Morrissey also teamed with PETA US today to release a new animated video scored by his 1992 song "I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday", which is available here.
Morrissey is part of a long list of music legends – including Paul McCartney, Chrissie Hynde, Joan Jett and Russell Simmons – who promote a healthy and humane vegetarian diet.
For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk.
