Metro Ad with Cartoon Image of Mohammed Proposed

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The group that hosted a cartoon contest of the Muslim prophet Mohammed – which was seen as the catalyst for a Texas shooting earlier this month – wants to put up ads with the religious icon on Metro stations and buses.

Stations in Bethesda, Rockville, and Washington, D.C., are the proposed sites of the ad, which is likely to generate controversy.

Washington Metro Transit Authority officials tell WTOP the American Freedom Defense Initiative has submitted an advertisement that is under review. The group held the Texas contest that led two Muslim extremists to shoot at the Garland, Texas, gathering, wounding a security guard, on May 3.

The two gunmen -- Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi – were shot and killed by police, according to CNN. The Islamic State later claimed responsibility for the attack and warned that more attacks are in the offing.

“Freedom of speech is under violent assault,” American Freedom Defense Initiative President Pamela Geller told WTOP. “We have to stand up against violent intimidation.”

The group’s proposed ad for Metro stations and buses shows the winning cartoon from the Texas contest. Proponents would post the ad at the Foggy Bottom, Capitol South, Bethesda, L’Enfant Plaza and Shady Grove Metro stations, as well as on buses.

For many Muslims, any depiction of the Prophet Mohammed is considered sacrilege. Islamic extremists who objected to French magazine Charlie Hebdo’s portrayals of Mohammed were blamed for a January massacre at the Paris office and supermarket that killed 17 people, according to the BBC.

Metro officials have not made a decision on whether to accept the ad.

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