A past anti-Islam bus campaign in New York
Photo: EPA
Judge: Pro-Israel group can post 'Killing Jews' ads on buses
Court determines ad campaign is protected speech, noting the same advertisement ran in other US cities without causing violent incidents.
A pro-Israel advocacy group known for publicly criticizing Islam can display its political advertisement containing the phrase "Hamas Killing Jews" on New York City's buses, a judge ruled Monday.
Judge John Koeltl said in a decision that the advertisement is protected speech.
He said he was sensitive to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's claim that the ad could incite violence and appreciates the efforts necessary to prevent violent attacks.
A past anti-Islam bus campaign in New York (Photo: EPA)
But he noted that substantially the same advertisement ran in San Francisco and Chicago in 2013 without incident. He added that examples of violent attacks cited by the MTA show that individuals may commit heinous acts without warning.
Koeltl stayed the effect of the ruling, dated Monday, for a month so it can be appealed.
MTA spokesman Adam Lisberg said the agency is disappointed in the ruling and is reviewing its options.
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It came in a lawsuit filed last year by the American Freedom Defense Initiative, an organization headed by blogger Pamela Geller that's behind the advertisement.
David Yerushalmi, a lawyer for the organization, said the decision "sends a strong message both to government bureaucrats who would restrict our freedom of speech based upon what they perceive to be a global jihadist threat."
The lawsuit said Geller's group buys the advertisements to express its message on current events and public issues "including issues such as Islam's hatred of Jews."
The lawsuit was filed after the MTA notified the group in August that it would display three of four proposed advertisements but not an ad with the quote "Killing Jews is Worship that draws us close to Allah" because it could incite violence. In the ad, a covered face is shown next to the quote, which is attributed to "Hamas MTV." It is followed by the words: "That's his Jihad. What's yours?"
In a September statement, the MTA said it recognized that the rejected ad was a parody of "MyJihad" ads sponsored by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which said it was promoting the concept that jihad is an individual and personal struggle rather than a violent conflict or terrorism.
Koeltl said he recognized that the MTA believes it would be far more difficult to counter the advertisement because it has parodic aspects.
But he said he believes the agency underestimates "the power of counter-advertisements to explain that the MTA does not endorse the ad and that the ad is not to be taken seriously."
Monica Klein, a spokeswoman for Mayor Bill de Blasio, noted in a statement that the mayor has said "these anti-Islamic ads are outrageous, inflammatory and wrong, and have no place in New York City, or anywhere."
