County Officials In Washington State Ban Anti-Israel Ad Campaign

[Purveyor]

by Joel Magalnick

King County Executive Dow Constantine’s office announced December 30 that it would not allow ads by a group called the Seattle Mideast Awareness Campaign, which stated that U.S. taxpayers money was being put toward “Israeli war crimes.” Another series of ads that had been proposed by the Los Angeles-based David Horowitz Freedom Center and the American Freedom Defense Initiative was also rejected.

Constantine said the issue had the potential to disrupt service, and put in place an interim policy that rejects all non-commercial advertisements. Advertisements currently in place will not be affected.

“The escalation of this issue from one of 12 local bus placards to a widespread and often vitriolic international debate introduces new and significant security concerns that compel reassessment,” Constantine said in a statement.

County officials said the transit and executive offices had received thousands of comments. Many, if not most, of those comments came from outside of the county. On Thursday afternoon, the San Antonio, Texas-based Christians United for Israel said more than 2,500 of its supporters had contacted the county.

Local Jewish organizations had roundly criticized the decision to allow the ads, though some, but not all, stopped short of calling for their removal.

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[cali]

1. as they banned ads from both sides

I don't have a problem with it.

[Warren DeMontague]

2. As someone who has seen pro-pot legalization paid speech stifled continually for years

I'm sorry, but, their buses, their call.