Animal rights activist attacks NYC horse carriage driver with skateboard during tirade, union says

An angry animal rights activist armed with a skateboard allegedly assaulted two horse-drawn carriage drivers in Central Park on Tuesday after launching an expletive-laden tirade in front of visiting families, union representatives said.

Abigail Holbrook, 27, of Philadelphia, was arrested after screaming at drivers and accusing them of "animal abuse" near a carriage stand, according to police and video of the incident.

"You’re animal abusers! Horses do not do well in New York City. They are very sensitive to light and noise," Holbrook shouted, according to video of the confrontation. "The people that are f------ using these horses are animal abusers. I’m Squid the Kid, bro. Y’all will know my f------ name."

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During the altercation, Holbrook punched two 45-year-old drivers and struck one of them in the head with her skateboard, the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) told Fox News Digital.

Both victims suffered minor injuries and declined medical treatment at the scene. Holbrook was taken into custody by the New York City Police Department and is charged with two counts of assault.

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"This is outrageous and unacceptable," TWU Local 100 Administrative Vice President Alexander Kemp said in a statement. "We need a more visible police presence for our members at horse-carriage stands in the park to protect against these wackos. This is their place of work and people are coming just to harass and attack them. All workers deserve to be safe at work."

Christina Hansen, a union shop steward who witnessed the assault and alerted police, placed the blame on rhetoric from city leadership and advocacy groups.

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"The problem is that a lot of people, you know, don't know anything about horses, and they get misled by these animal rights groups who liken it to slavery, and say that the horses are being tortured by being forced to drag heavy carriages around as if carriages don't have wheels," Hansen told Fox News Digital.

Hansen noted that the financial livelihoods of carriage drivers depend on whether their horses are well taken care of.

"Let's face it, these organizations ... make money by getting donations and there's no money to be made by telling people that our horses are well taken care of," she said. "I only make money if my horse is well taken care of because I can't go to work if he can't pull the carriage, if he doesn't enjoy his job ... so my monetary interest is that my horse is taken care of. Their monetary interest is that the horses are being abused or exploited or whatever."

The violence erupted amid ongoing legal and political battles surrounding the city's historic carriage industry.

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Last month, the city council voted 40 to 7 to pass Romanch's Law, named in memory of 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan, who died in June after being thrown from a runaway carriage in Central Park.

The legislation would phase out horse-drawn carriages entirely by June 1, 2028, while directing the city to establish a transition program for more than 150 drivers and industry workers.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) pushed back against the union's accusations.

"If the horse-drawn carriage trade is suddenly concerned about hostility and violence, it might start by looking in the mirror," the group said.

Horse-drawn carriages have been a staple of Central Park and Fifth Avenue for generations, providing iconic rides for tourists visiting the city.

"Carriage horses have been pulling carriages in Central Park since the day the park opened in December 1858," said Hansen. "They've been living on Manhattan since 1625. The city would not be the city that it is, and Central Park would not be the park that it is, except for horses."