Political advertisements are no longer allowed on New York Transit subways and buses, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced at a board meeting on Wednesday.
The MTA passed a resolution to ban them in the wake of a judge's ruling that an ad with the phrase "Hamas Killing Jews" was allowed to be displayed in New York City buses, according to the Associated Press. The controversial ad was paid for by a pro-Israel group.
New Yory joins Chicago, Los Angeles and Philadelphia as cities that do not allow political advertisements. The transit authority is looking into how to remove political advertisements that are currently on display.
The MTA's decision, which is effective immediately, has angered some, who believe that banning of certain ads is against first amendment rights.
"The New York City transit system is our public square," Christopher Dunn, of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said. "It is the place that virtually all of us pass through day in and day out. And because of that, it is a central part of our speech in New York City."
Pamela Geller, the woman behind the lawsuit, was at the meeting and brought political ads with her and raised a more politically-charged question.
"You call my ads hateful?" she said. "These are actual quotes. Why aren't we talking about the ideology behind these quotes?"
The American Freedom Defense Initiative filed the suit last summer when the MTA said it would not allow its ad that read "Killing Jews is Worship that draws us close to Allah." The MTA said it was too controversial and could potential cause violence.
The potential of violence and the safety of its riders was still at the heart of Wednesday's decision,
"We drew the line when we thought our customers, our employees and the public were in danger," Page said. "The judge gave short shrift to those concerns."
The MTA said that out of the $138 million it spends on advertising annually, only $1 million comes from ads on its vehicles.
