Transport for London (TfL) has ordered the removal of an unauthorised anti-Israel “hangman” advertisement that was put up in a Tube carriage.
The poster, spotted on Saturday, asks: “Which state recently passed a law to hang the people it is illegally occupying if they resist its military occupation?” Beneath the text, the letters “I S R A … L” are arranged under a stick figure hanging from gallows.
The answer, the poster reads, is the same state that “currently has a case against it at the International Court of Justice [ICJ] for genocide.”
After images of the sign circulated online, some users demanded answers from TfL, accusing the transport authority of allowing “twisted political accusations” to appear in a public transport setting.
Responding to the complaints, TfL said it had not approved the advert, indicating it was put up by a member of the public.
A TfL spokesperson said: “This poster was not authorised by TfL nor our advertising partners, and we have instructed our teams and contractors to remove any that are found on our network.”
The reference to a genocide case relates to ongoing proceedings brought by South Africa against Israel at the ICJ. The court has not determined that genocide is taking place in Gaza. Under the Genocide Convention, any two states that are parties to the treaty may initiate proceedings against one another over alleged breaches, including claims of genocide.
Separately, TFL confirmed yesterday it had suspended a train driver pending an investigation after a video circulated showing a man carrying a Bakerloo Line branch banner of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers, and stating that Jews would not be “safe” on the Tube while he was operating it.
When asked by the person filming, “Is it safe for Jews to ride the Bakerloo line?”, the man, whose identity has not been confirmed, replied: “Not when I’m driving,” adding: “Stay well clear.”
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