Criminal past of vegan activist who claims cows bred for milk is 'MURDER' is exposed live on GMB as Piers reveals he was jailed for carrying a gun

Joey Carbstrong compared dairy farms to mass atrocities during GMB interview
However the tables were quickly turned when Piers Morgan brought up his past
Mr Carbstrong was caught with a sawn off shotgun and knife in September 2011
He was jailed for six months but says he has turned life around since going vegan

Published: 09:05 BST, 27 June 2018 | Updated: 10:29 BST, 27 June 2018

e-mail

305

View
comments

The criminal past of a vegan activist was exposed on live television as he argued that breeding cows for milk is murder.

Joey Carbstrong compared dairy farms to mass atrocities during a highly-charged interview on Good Morning Britain alongside chef Antony Worrall-Thompson.

However the tables were quickly turned on the militant vegan after Piers Morgan queried his violent past as a gang member, in which he was jailed for carrying a gun.

Mr Carbstrong, 32, was caught with a loaded, sawn off shotgun with 29 bullets and a flick knife in September 2011.

Joey Carbstrong (pictured second from right, with chef Antony Worrall-Thompson) compared dairy farms to mass atrocities during a highly-charged interview on Good Morning Britain

When his six-month prison sentence was put to the Australian, he said: 'A character attack on my part.

'Has this got anything to do with the topic at hand? Would this be relevant if I was speaking up against dog abuse or child abuse?

'It’s true, I was incarcerated for something I did in my past. But this is no way to have a debate on diary.

'I used to consume animal products three times a day. I was harming both animals and humans. But that doesn’t mean I can’t do something right now.'

Piers then brought up a video posted by My Carbstrong called 'Ethical hunters deserve a bullet in the head', under which he wrote the comment: 'I hope one of these bleeps accidentally shoots a family member in the face'.

He responded: 'This was two years ago. This is 2018 and I’ve changed my advocacy. I’ve publicly renounced those statements.

TV chef Antony Worrall-Thompson (pictured) argued that eating meat and drinking milk was 'part of the food chain'

'Anything I’ve said in the past I’ve changed my advocacy. When I first went vegan I was quite angry about the treatment of animals.'

Mr Carbstrong says he 'fell in with the wrong crowd' after leaving school, eventually turning to crime and dealing drugs to support his own habit.

He spent much of his youth using cannabis, methamphetamine and drinking alcohol.

In 2011 he was admitted to hospital after suffering, psychosis, depression and anxiety and contemplating self harm.

Aged 26, he spent six months in jail for possession of a firearm, which he had hidden down his trousers while on house detention.

The tables were quickly turned on Mr Carbstrong after Piers Morgan(pictured with co-host Susanna Reid) queried his violent past as a gang member

While holed up in prison he had 'an epiphany' and became determined to turn his back on the criminal world.

During this morning's interview, TV chef Antony Worrall-Thompson argued that eating meat and drinking milk was 'part of the food chain'.

He added: 'We've been drinking milk and consuming diary for 8,000 years and our bodies have evolved to process those ingredients.'

But Mr Carbstrong argued: 'This has nothing to do with the food chain. In the wild, animals eat out of necessity.

'We have alternatives now, 30 different plant-based milks in the supermarket.

'Why are we still breastfeeding from a cow, as full grown adults? We stop breastfeeding as toddlers.'

Who is militant vegan Joey Carbstrong?

Joey Carbstrong (pictured) is a 'celebrity' vegan activist from Australia

Joey Carbstrong, whose real name is Joey Armstrong, is a 'celebrity' vegan activist from Australia with tens of thousands of YouTube and Instagram followers.

The 31-year-old, a former gang member, spent time in prison before turning his life around and becoming 'full vegan' for both ethical and health reasons.

After dropping out of school aged 14, Mr Carbstrong fell in with the wrong crowd, eventually turning to 'more serious, hardcore, organised crime gangs' and dealing drugs to support his own habit.

He is said to have spent much of his youth using methamphetamine and drinking alcohol.

Aged 26, he spent six months in jail for possession of a firearm, which he had hidden down his trousers while on house detention.

Discussing his gang related crime, he said: 'I still had compassion in my heart but it was clouded by the environment that shaped me and people around me.'

While holed up in prison he had 'an epiphany' and became determined to turn his back on the criminal world.

He said: 'It was the longest I'd been sober for the past 12 years of my life. I began seeing my life with new eyes. I'd seen all the other prisoners in there and didn't want to be there, I wanted to leave the gangs.'

Mr Carbstrong turned to the teachings of Dan McDonald, an American advocate for raw food and fasting who formerly had a drug problem.

The 31-year-old, a former gang member, spent time in prison before turning his life around and turning 'full vegan' for both ethical and health reasons

Following his release from prison he then went 'full vegan'.

The 31-year-old said: 'I'd always said that it's hypocritical to say you love animals – save the whales, dolphins, dogs – but then have a piece of an animal that's suffered and had a bolt gun to the head on your plate. I was a walking hypocrite…I decided to align my actions and my morals.'

Since then he has become a militant vegan campaigner and has been touring the world to encourage people with his radical message.

He is currently on tour of the UK and Ireland, attending daytime vigils and protests alongside fellow activists.

He hit the headlines this week because of his clashes with farmers, likening them to 'slave owners'.

He has posted YouTube videos showing him confronting farmers and meat industry workers, saying they 'should be scared'.