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Tuesday, March 19, 2024
March 19, 2024

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Seattle mayor pardons tofu turkey

The Columbian
Published:

SEATTLE — This is what Thanksgiving in Seattle looks like, apparently.

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray has pardoned a tofu turkey.

Murray posed for photos with the phony fowl Friday at City Hall to draw attention to “hunger in our community” ahead of Thanksgiving and the holiday season, spokesman Jason Kelly said.

The stunt wasn’t a nod to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Kelly said. PETA has asked President Barack Obama to scrap the annual White House turkey pardon, arguing the tradition benefits the poultry industry.

“The mayor has a sense of humor,” Kelly said. “He wanted to do something that would attract attention.”

Added Kelly, “He was also poking fun at himself as a public official. Seattle has a reputation around the country for being a little bit ‘granola.’ “

Food banks throughout the city are oversubscribed, Kelly said.

“People should think about families in their neighborhoods who need additional help and should donate as much as they can,” he said.

The tofu turkey, named Braeburn after the local apple variety, will “live out its natural life” at the Rainier Valley Food Bank, said Kelly.

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