Letter: Hirst's cow

From Mr Paul Gaynor

Sir: As one of the protesters at the Tate Gallery this Monday who temporarily prevented people exercising their right to view two dead carcasses, I must express my disappointment at the moral bankruptcy of the judges of the Turner Prize and the winning artist.

However you view the exhibit, given the chance, it increased the demand for dead animals by two, created unnecessary suffering and death and cheapened the life of a mother and child.

Apparently the judges were impressed by the artist's ability to deal with the issues of life and death. To give a more cutting edge to the subject, may I suggest that in his next piece he merely directs people to their local slaughterhouse where they can really experience the horrors awaiting the 750 million animals that we kill every year to satisfy our craving to consume animal flesh.

A true artist should be able to represent life and death - not be the cause of it. Justice may yet be done should the artist be reincarnated as a dairy cow.

Yours sincerely,

Paul Gaynor

Office Manager

People for the Ethical

Treatment of Animals

London, NW1

28 November