JewBelong’s Anti-Antisemitism Taxi Ad Cancelled For Mocking Mamdani
Peloni
The New York Post published a shocking report regarding a digital rooftop taxi ad campaign involving some 4,000 yellow taxi cabs in New York City which was pulled due to the ad being considered to deride Mamdani’s signature proposal to make city buses free. The ad, created by the Jewish advocacy group JewBelong, read, “Not gonna hide my Jewish star for a free bus ride,” a slogan intended to encourage Jews not to conceal visible signs of their identity amid rising antisemitism. However, its reference to a “free bus ride” was widely interpreted as a pointed dig at Mamdani’s free-fare bus plan.
The ads were placed through the out-of-home advertising firm Somo, which removed them after complaints and media attention. In a video meeting obtained by the Post, Somo executive vice president Jaime Lo acknowledged the ad had created a controversy following coverage and indicated concern that it might be viewed as attacking City Hall. He stated that he did not want to offend the mayor’s office and suggested altering the ad to remove any perceived reference to Mamdani, but JewBelong refused. Lo also cited complaints which had been made to the company and the Taxi and Limousine Commission, and emphasized that he did not care to carry advertising which could be inferred as targeting the mayor.
