The city is jumping into the subway-ad holy war.
The Commission on Human Rights is countering controversial billboards that call enemies of Israel “savage” with a new ad campaign promoting the city’s diversity.
The ad reads, “From many countries, one city” and features a bright red apple covered with a map of the world.
They could go up in subway stations as early as next week, less than a month after the inflammatory ads were placed in 10 subway stations in Manhattan.
Those controversial ads — which the MTA unsuccessfully tried to ban — read, “In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel. Defeat Jihad.”
The city has previously run the “one city” ads on bus shelters.
City officials declined to comment yesterday.
Mayor Bloomberg said two weeks ago that the “savage” ads — which were ripped down in many stations — should be allowed to hang.
“We tolerate things that we might find despicable,” he said.
The city’s ads are one of many campaigns countering the “savage” ads.
The United Methodist Women bought space in the same 10 stations as the “savage” posters.
Its ad reads, “Hate speech is not civilized. Support peace in word and deed.”
The Christian group Sojourners also bought space for ads that went up on Tuesday. They read, “Love your Muslim neighbors.”
Rabbis for Human Rights-North America purchased pro-peace ads that likely will go up next week, according to the MTA.
Those ads — which read, “In the choice between love and hate, choose love” — were supposed to go up Tuesday, but were delayed by a technicality.
The International Action Center also has ads going up next week that read, “No to Racism & Anti-Muslim Bigotry.”
Meanwhile, Pamela Geller — the pro-Israel activist who purchased the “savage” ads — said she printed more copies of the signs because so many had been ripped down.
Additional reporting by Rebecca Harshbarger