The black and white ads say "Jew Hatred: It’s in the Quran" and features a picture of a 1941 meeting between Adolf Hilter and Hajj Amin al-Husseini, a Palestinian Arab nationalist who was known for radio shows supporting the Nazis.
As early as next week, the ad will start appearing on 84 SEPTA buses and run for a month.
— Simran Jeet Singh (@SimranColumbia) March 13, 2015
SEPTA had tried to say no to the ads, but US District Judge Mitchell Goldberg ruled that because the transit agency had accepted other political and controversial ads in the past, they couldn’t turn this one down, as it would be a violation of free speech.
The ad is produced by the American Freedom Defense Initiative, a group based in New Hampshire which argued in court that the ad was relevant because "many Christians and Jews are being persecuted in Islamic countries in the Middle East." The ads will run under terms of a $30,000 contract.
SEPTA has since changed their advertising standards, so that from now on it prohibits all political and non-commercial ads.
SEPTA officials said they decided against appealing the ruling because they believed they were likely to lose and the loser would have to pay the legal fees for both sides.
