WORCESTER – A Worcester advocacy organization says it’s disappointed the city’s transit authority has pulled ads calling for a ceasefire in Gaza one week into the month-long agreement for the ads to appear on city buses. “This ad represents something a local group put together to try to raise awareness in Worcester,” said Roxeanne Bruno, a community activist involved with The Community Alliance For Peace and Justice.
The signs show pictures of people standing amid the rubble. But the transit authority, WRTA, pulled two of the signs after just one week.
“They then changed the advertising policy to state they won’t support advertising that’s political in nature or religious in nature,” said Bruno.
The largest on the outside of the buses was removed, though eight smaller ones will remain on the inside of buses at a reduced cost to the group that is now concerned about reduced exposure to their message. “This country is built on a foundation of free speech, getting every point of view accepted and heard,” said activist Amna Saeedk-Kothe.