Federal Judge Mark
Goldsmith has ruled against the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority in
a lawsuit challenging the agency’s rejection of an ad titled ‘Boycott
“Israel.” Boycott Apartheid.’

Calling the
agency’s policy of only accepting ads that are in “good
taste” vague and unconstitutional. Goldsmith issued a ruling in
favor of Blaine Coleman of Ann Arbor, who wants to place the ads,
with a picture of a spider-like creature with a skull for a head and
bones at its sides, on the city’s buses. The motion for Coleman was filed on behalf of the ACLU. 

The agency said
the ads ridicule people and that they may turn away riders but
Goldsmith said that the First Amendment rights of Coleman supersede
those concerns.

Another hearing
will be held in the weeks ahead to determine whether or not Coleman’s
ad will make it on city buses.