PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Lawmakers spoke out against anti-Muslim ads set to appear on dozens of SEPTA buses Friday.
The ads, which began running this week, feature a photo from the 1940s of Adolf Hitler speaking to a Palestinian leader. The ad reads, "Islamic Jew Hatred: It's in the Quran."
The ads were purchased by the American Freedom Defense Initiative for $30,000.
SEPTA fought to ban the ads in federal court, but lost that fight last month. For the next month, the ads will run on the side panels of 84 SEPTA buses.
On Friday, Pennsylvania State Representative Dwight Evans joined other leaders to speak out against the ads. He said it's also an opportunity to educate and enlighten Philadelphia residents about other religions.
"The ad presents the opportunity to inform Philadelphians about the true nature of Islam, the faith of a quarter of the people on this planet," Evans said. "With a teaching at its heart, that proclaims a message of pluralism and peace."
SEPTA has since banned all political ads from its advertisement space.