A federal judge ruled Tuesday that New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority cannot stop a controversial ad campaign highlighting jihadist anti-Semitism from running on subway cars and buses.
An American Freedom Defense Initiative ad reading, “‘Killing Jews is worship that draws us close to Allah.’ That’s His Jihad. What’s yours?” will be allowed on MTA subway cars and busses, U.S. District Judge John Koeltl ruled.
MTA had argued the ad, paid for by a group that brings attention to Islamic extremism, could incite violence against Jews. MTA Security Director Raymond Diaz expressed particular concern about the line “What is yours?”
But Koeltl rejected the notion Tuesday after AFDI — which purchased the ads — sued MTA to run them.
President Pamela Geller, the group’s president, tweeted triumphantly following the ruling Tuesday afternoon.
VICTORY!Judge rules for us in AFDI vs MTA:”The [MTA’s} theory is thoroughly unpersuasive” #WINhttp://t.co/7nkCXIrTd7 pic.twitter.com/EtdlRs2kZL
— Pamela Geller (@PamelaGeller) April 21, 2015
According to Koeltl, MTA officials “underestimate the tolerant quality of New Yorkers and overestimate the potential impact of these fleeting advertisements.”
“Moreover, there is no evidence that seeing one of these advertisements on the back of a bus would be sufficient to trigger a violent reaction. Therefore, these ads — offensive as they may be — are still entitled to First Amendment protection,” he ruled.
This is Geller’s latest win in her effort to draw attention to violent jihadism on public transportation. In 2012, a judge in New York ruled that MTA could not block ads advocating a harder line against Islamic violence. Although left-wing organizations such as the Southern Poverty Law Center consider AFDI an anti-Muslim hate group, Geller’s efforts have met with success on free-speech grounds. The most controversial elements of AFDI’s campaigns have generally been when the group quotes jihadists’ own words — as was the case here.
“Our objective is to go on the offensive when legal, academic, legislative, cultural, sociologica, and political actions are taken to dismantle our basic freedoms and values,” AFDI says on its website. “AFDI acts against the treason being committed by national, state and local government officials, the mainstream media and others in their capitulation to the global jihad and Islamic supremacism, the ever-encroaching and unconstitutional power of the federal government and the rapidly moving attempts to impose socialism and Marxism upon the American people.”
AFDI hopes to run 100 ads in the coming weeks in New York, according to its website, promoting a “donate” button to make it happen.
(H/T Washington Post)
