A New York blogger is putting up ads next week on 100 city buses and at two subway entrances featuring anti-Islamic messages and images – including one of American journalist
James Foley, who was beheaded by Islamic State (ISIS) militants in August.
The $100,000 campaign, funded by Geller’s advocacy group, the American Freedom Defense Initiative, features six posters in all, including the one with Foley pictured,
the Guardian reports.
All carry messages critical of Islam, though transit officials rejected an ad with the quote "Killing Jews is Worship that draws us close to Allah" because it could incite violence.
The six approved ads show an image of Foley standing next to his killer.
"Our organization has created this campaign in order to educate people about Jihad," Geller told
CBS radio's 1010 WINS station in New York.
“I don’t think the truth is controversial. I think we’re entering a very dangerous period and I don’t think the American people should be disarmed in the information battle space.”
Geller has used posters on the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s ad space to court controversy before.
In 2012, after the MTA wouldn't allow Geller to buy advertising space, a court ruled her anti-Jihad posters were “political” in nature, and covered by the First Amendment.
Linda Sarsour, the executive director of the Arab-American Association of New York said she supported Geller’s right to exercise free speech, but pointed out
anti-Muslim hate crimes are up 143 percent last year.
“The question here is what could be the consequences of these ads going up at a time like this,” Sarsour told the Guardian.
“We have ignorant people walking around who are waiting to act on their hatred for Muslims. We don’t need ads across New York City that try to link Islam and ISIS.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.