The American Freedom Defense Initiative, an organization known for its controversial views against Islam, announced on Sept. 19 that it intends to sue the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for the second time for refusing to run an anti-Islam ad on its buses.

In a press release issued on Friday, the MTA said the rejected ad, which includes the phrase “Killing Jews,” goes against its advertising standards.

“The MTA concluded it was reasonably foreseeable that displaying the advertisement would imminently incite or provoke violence or other immediate breach of the peace, and so harm, disrupt or interfere with safe, efficient and orderly transportation operations,” the press release said.

Although the MTA rejected one ad, they will still run the remaining four ads in their campaign on 100 MTA buses and 2 subway stations for four weeks starting Sept. 29.

Pamela Geller, president of the AFDI, questions the rejection of the ad because it blocks discussion on the issues of anti-Semitism and Jihadism.

“This is an ad designed to show the genocidal Jew-hatred of Hamas and of Jihadis in general,” Geller said. “The MTA would never refuse an ad about Islamophobia, but anti-Semitism, even though anti-Semitic hate crimes are eight times more common than hate crimes against Muslims, is not allowed to be discussed or combated?”

The MTA updated its advertising standards in 2012 after a federal ruling found part of the agency’s ad guidelines unconstitutional. The ruling came after the AFDI filed a lawsuit against the agency for refusing to run its anti-Islam posters.

Kevin Ortiz, director of media relations for the MTA, pointed to previous court rulings in determining the results of the AFDI’s potential lawsuit against the agency.

“We review every viewpoint ad under the standards, but a series of court rulings have made [it] clear that our hands are largely tied,” Ortiz said in an email.

Patricia Jeng, a junior at the College of Nursing, said she agrees with the MTA’s rejection of the ad because it would negatively impact the agency otherwise.

“I think the MTA is right in refusing to put up the ad,” Jeng said. “The ad is demeaning, and it seems like the AFDI just wants to incite internal problems within the city. Although the first amendment grants the freedom of speech, if an agency like the MTA places this intolerant ad, it makes it seem as though they support its views.”

CAS junior Heba Allam says it is necessary for the MTA to reject the ad to show that New York does not tolerate its stance, even if the AFDI is using its right to freedom of speech.

“I think it’s important that the MTA reject this hateful ad to show all New Yorkers that there is no room for hatred in our city,” Allam said. “As a Muslim-American New Yorker, I feel unsafe riding the subway and having Pamela Geller’s radical thoughts threatening every Muslim.”

A version of this article appeared in the Wednesday, Sept. 24 print edition. Email  Nathaley Pesantez at [email protected].