Washington D.C. metro system sued for refusing 'political' advertisements

Washington: The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has sued the Washington D.C. metro system for refusing ads on "political" topics including birth control, ethical treatment of animals and the text of the First Amendment of the US Constitution.

The ACLU said on Wednesday that it represents a "diverse group of plaintiffs" in the lawsuit, including an abortion provider, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and former Breitbart columnist Milo Yiannopoulos, reports Xinhua news agency.

"To put it mildly, these plaintiffs have nothing in common politically. But together, they powerfully illustrate the indivisibility of the First Amendment," said the ACLU, which is a national organisation that works daily in courts, legislatures and communities to defend the individual rights and liberties.

According to the group, one of the rejected ads featured the text of the First Amendment in English, Spanish and Arabic, which the group proposed after US President Donald Trump was sworn in earlier this year.

The Washington D.C. Metro has argued that the advertisement "intended to influence members of the public regarding an issue on which there are varying opinions" or "intended to influence public policy".

Carafem, a birth control and abortion provider, wanted to promote an ad that said, "10-week-after pill. For abortion up to 10 weeks. $425. Fast. Private"; and PETA proposed an ad depicting a pig saying, "I`m ME, Not MEAT. See the Individual. Go Vegan". 

Both were rejected on the same grounds, according to the ACLU.