The anti-Islam posters which were approved by a New York court two weeks ago, were posted in the city’s metro on Tuesday.
Latest angry protests across the Muslim world over online circulating of the U.S. offensive film against Islam insulting the Holy Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), haven’t led its authors and supporters to review their move. But rather, a posters campaign offensive to Islam has been declared in the United States while Muslims’ anger hasn’t subsided yet.
The anti-Islam posters which were approved by a New York court two weeks ago, were posted in the city’s metro on Tuesday.
The posters call Muslims ‘savages’ and the Zionists ‘civilized’. Pamela Geller, an anti-Islam blogger, said she would like to see the posters hang “on every wall in every city”.
“I live in America and in America we have the first amendment,” she said.
“In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man,” the poster read.
It concludes with the words, “Support Israel. Defeat Jihad,” wedged between two Stars of David.
New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) had tried to remove the posters because the agency finds them ‘insulting’ and ‘degrading’.
A New York judge however ruled that the posters are in compliance with the first amendment rights – ‘freedom of expression’, forcing MTA to paste the posters on the city’s metro walls.
The anti-Islam campaign is organized by American Freedom Defense Initiative (ADFI). Pamela Geller who is chairman of the agency highly defends the organization’s actions.
The city council first rejected the ads would be publicly displayed given reasons that the ad’s language was ‘demeaning’.
But after losing a federal court ruling on First Amendment grounds, the MTA said the ads were expected to appear next week at 10 subway stations.
“Our hands are tied,” said Aaron Donovan, a spokesman for the authority.