Gaza cease-fire ads pulled from Worcester buses over 'safety concerns,' group says
WORCESTER ― An advocacy organization is claiming that the Worcester Regional Transit Authority pulled ads calling for a cease-fire in Gaza a week into a monthlong agreement for the ads to appear on city buses.
Holding two of the removed ads, members and supporters of the Community Alliance for Peace and Justice stood in front of City Hall shortly before noon on Friday, stating that the ads were removed after the WRTA’s bus management company, First Transit Inc., showed concerns over driver safety.
About 12 feet in length, the bigger of the ads showed imagery of people standing or sitting among rubble of bombed buildings in Gaza along with the words “YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK” and “CEASEFIRE NOW,” among other messages.
The CAPJ describes itself as an advocacy organization “striving to amplify the political voice of American-Muslim communities in Massachusetts and Connecticut," according to a recent statement.
"The WRTA's Advisory Board signed off on our ads," said Roxanne Bruno, a member of the CAPJ, on Friday, "but then pulled this ad after one week of run time, citing that they received feedback that their drivers felt unsafe.
"The bus drivers felt there could possibly be a threat to their safety since these were so large and on the outside."
Bruno added that the WRTA said was not aware of any actual incidents that happened, "but they do take driver feedback seriously."
While the two nixed ads were on the outside of the buses, the CAPJ is still contracted for another eight, currently still displayed on WRTA buses, according to Bruno.
The other eight, containing similar messages and imagery, will continue to be displayed for the rest of the month, Bruno said.
"Our goal is not in any way to go after the WRTA," added Bruno. "We're just interested in raising awareness."
Bruno said it cost about $650 for the WRTA contract and about the same for the printing costs, although she added that for that first week, which started Feb. 1, the CAPJ was not charged for the two now-pulled ads.
The ads were discussed at a WRTA Advisory Board meeting on Jan. 18, when the images submitted by the CAPJ were shown to members for consideration.
According to a recording of the meeting, provided to the Telegram & Gazette by the WRTA, one ad was estimated to be 12 feet by 2.5 feet and meant to be placed on the side of buses, while the second, estimated to be about 4 feet by 16 inches, would be placed on the back of the buses.
Following a decision taken at the meeting, the ads were set to appear with the disclaimer “This is a paid advertisement, and it does not necessarily express the views and opinions of the WRTA.”
When reached Thursday about the ads' removal from the bus exteriors, WRTA Administrator Joshua Rickman said in an email, “The WRTA is not involved in such operational decisions,” and that “issues of bus operation and driver safety are addressed by Central Mass. Transit Management, the WRTA’s operating company.”
Attempts to reach Central Mass. Transit Management and its parent company, First Transit Inc., on Thursday were not immediately successful.
At the same Jan. 18 meeting, the Advisory Board approved a policy change to prohibit ads about “Political Issues or Matters of Public Debate” and “Warfare.”
Rickman said the change in the policy was “triggered by recent interest in public displays, including a recent request for political advertising on WRTA buses.
“The new policy,” said Rickman, “has been brought up to date to be reflective of transit industry standards and consistent with applicable case law, which generally deem transit facilities, vehicles and equipment to not be public forums.”
Rickman did not say whether the Community Alliance for Peace and Justice’s ads were the reason for the board's policy changes.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Pro-Palestinian ads pulled from Worcester city buses, group says
