VIDEO: Woman Arrested for Defacing Racist Ad in New York Subway
A woman was arrested in Times Square station on Tuesday for defacing an advertisement that more than suggests that people of Arab descent are savages. Video below.
Mona Eltahawy, 45, was arrested on charges including criminal mischief and making graffiti after she used a can of pink spray paint to cover the words, “In a war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. ” The under text of the ad says, “Support Israel” and “Defeat Jihad” in red letters. The lone protester maintains her direct action was a form of “non-violent freedom of expression,” not vandalism.
Strangely, a lone counter-protester appeared to protect the racist ad by placing her body between it at the can of spray paint.
“Mona, do you think you have the right to do this?” said Pamela Hall, as she began to position her self in front of the ad.
“I do actually, I think this is freedom of expression, just as this is freedom of expression,” Eltahawy responded in a non-confrontational manner as she continued to spray over the woman’s shoulders.
The two person stand off continued for nearly three minutes before police arrived to instantly make their arrest. While one hand was already cuffed, Eltahawy repeatedly asked what she is being charged with, with out ever getting a response from the arresting officers.
“For what? Tell me what I’m under arrest for! I need to know what you’re arresting me for! It’s my right to know what you’re arresting me for, it is my right as a US citizen to know what you’re arresting me for,” Eltahawy voiced to the muted officers. “I’m expressing myself freely and I’ve hurt no one,” the protester says to a small applause by the growing crowd of on lookers.
Eltahawy continued to speak her mind as police walked her out of the area. “See this America? This is non-violent protest! This is what happens to non-violent protesters in America in 2012,” as some in the crowd audibly agree. “I’m Egyptian American, and I refuse hate and I will continue to non-violently protest hate and that is hate and racism,” she continued as the video ends.
The ads were approved by a federal court ruling on first amendment grounds after Pamela Geller, a leader of the group ’Stop Islamization of America‘ was denied her first request to post the ads by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Geller reportedly paid $6,000 to have the anti-Arab ads up for one month.
Though Eltahawy acted alone in this attempt to erase racist propaganda, she was not alone over all. Since the ads debuted in 10 Manhattan stations on Monday, several have been defaced by like minded protesters. Multiple photos have been spread around social networking sites of similar actions.
The internet collective of activists known as ‘Anonymous’ has called for actions like this to occur where ever the racist ads pop up. @YourAnonNews, who has over 640,000 followers on Twitter tweeted, “#NYCsubway welcome to #OpSavage” with an image of a defaced ad early Tuesday morning.
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As an Egyptian american my heart grows out to people who still have a pulse. And I hope the reptilian cracker plague race ends. Perish.
So how does your hatred make you any different at this point?
The difference is that you arent plastering it across america with hateful ads. You are paying money to fuel and spread hate and racism. There is a big difference between simply stating your opinion (whether it be negative or positive) and using media to try and spread the hate. As a fellow human, I ask you do you agree?
What, now we are supposed to just eliminate others rights to say what they want to say? It is not right to remove or cross out another’s expression just because you don’t agree. Mona has every right to post her own ads on the subway, but not to destroy others speech -just like Mubarak did . . .
Oh, I get it. Murabak’s the new Hitler-figure and now the discussion’s over (reductio ad Murabakum?).
But seriously, there’s a difference between spraying paint on the poster (showing contempt) and removing it altogether (silencing Geller). This is clearly an act of free speech and it’s problematic that Eltahawi was arrested for it (without being read her rights and properly informed as to what she was arrested for).
jsil, there is no such thing as “free” speech… do you know why that hateful woman was allowed to put those ads up? Because she PAID to. Money is speech in this country and if you don’t have it, you don’t have power. I shouldn’t have to buy ad space to counteract racism on the radio, or in a public sphere. Shouting your crude beliefs at bystanders is totally different than using public space for hate speech like these ads. In that scenario you turn up your earbuds and walk away.
That form of ad “speech” violated Mona’s rights and identity as an Arab-American and she chose to non-violently protest in response. I support her action. She counteracted hate speech with her own act of freedom. That ad tried to silence her voice and her identity through slander and defamation.
I completely agree! Had a little thing written but your comment excellently covers it different words. Will share my own phrasing anyway.
We need to rethink on our interpretation of free speech. If it is really the defining American value, shouldn’t we be okay spending some time reflecting/double checking it, to make sure it doesn’t have room for improvement?
Doesn’t it strike people as a strange that there is no “limit” to various kinds of speech, but that as soon as something is published, copywright’d or patented, it is protected by laws governing property (and wealth-profit)? So many restrictions once it crosses over the economic line. Love the exchange between the two women, and the use of words like ‘rights,’ ‘freedom,’ and ‘expression.’
This hate speech should be defaced. She did the right thing. I just wish that while they were arresting her, others had picked up the can and started spray painting it too.
so disappointed that the MTA or anyone else would tolerate hatred & racism as ‘free speech’ or as just when paid for. thank you mona, for doing what we should all do- Actively reject institutionalized or so-called socially accepted racism, war mongering, hatred.
Look, I’m very much against the message of that sign, but vandalism isn’t non-violent protest. Violence against an object is still violence. I would stand by this woman if she were standing in front of this sign and covering it, or marching in front of it, but vandalism is not okay.
Evan, I respect your pacifistic outlook. I disgaree that one can be guilty of “violence” against an inantimate object. Rights of people before those of property. Workers of the World, Ignite!
I agree Evan. I support her cause, but you can not deface the property of another because you do not support it. Everyday I see someone wearing a shirt with a very vulgar message, but because I do not support it, I cannot deface their shirt. The same applies to this situation. Regardless if it’s an inanimate object or not, there are other non-violent and “LEGAL” (keyword) means of protesting.
With friends like Pamela Geller, who needs enemies?
Fuck Israel.
You probably posted that from your cellphone which was invented in Israel.
Sorry, forgot to add-
It’s really unfortunate some folks don’t consider the factors involved in free speech– what makes it free, who is able to speak more loudly and have their speech not only heard, but recognized, affirmed, and backed up by policy?
When the odds are outweighed to one side like that, direct engagement with those forms of speech become really vital, like Eltahawy is doing here. (vs designated protest areas, an example of the decline of that other bastion of ‘free speech’ many prefer to overlook).
Censorship is free speech. The Ministry of Truth thanks Mona Eltahawy immensely for her courageous act of non-violence toward subway property and the vile villain Pamela Geller!
Doubleplusgood!
The rights of property are greater than the rights of people. I do not know who the woman with the camera was, but these two had apprently tangled before since one knew the other’s name. I am thinking jabbing a person with the pods of a camera borders on assault. Perhaps Mona may decide to have the clip reviewed. You do not have to respect my right to free speech, but put your hands on me or impede my physically? You just fucked up bad….
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bravo Mona. united against racism and hate!!!
Just to be clear this isn’t a “pro-Isreali [sic] ad.” This ad was put by a right-wing nutcase with no connection to any Israeli or Jewish groups, and whose organization is considered a hate group by the ADL and the Southern Poverty Law Center. The majority of Jews and Israelis are just as outraged over this hate speech as the rest of the American public. To quote the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (a mainstream umbrella group for the Jewish community) it is a “Bigoted, Divisive” and JCPA President Rabbi Steve Gutow has said “The fact that ads have been placed in the subway attacking Israel does not excuse the use of attack ads against Muslims.”
Censorship is far worse than even the most hateful of messages.
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