In a glaring display of selective outrage, Transport for London (TfL) has yanked an advert depicting a black teenager harassing a white girl on a bus – all because of a single complaint crying “racial stereotypes.” Meanwhile, multiple past ads, all featuring white men as the aggressors, were approved, exposing the double standards that shield uncomfortable realities from public view.
The controversial ad was part of TfL’s “Act Like a Friend” campaign, aimed at encouraging bystanders to intervene in cases of sexual harassment or ‘hate crimes’ on public transport.
In the short clip, a black teenage boy verbally harasses a young white girl, with his white friend sitting nearby, effectively boxing her in. But according to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), this portrayal – when viewed in isolation – “reinforced a negative racial stereotype” associating black males with threatening behavior.
The local government body “Transport for London” has banned an advert showing a black man harrassing a white girl on bus for 'reinforcing negative racial stereotypes'
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) February 18, 2026
?? pic.twitter.com/oNQ1D6G8fH
The ASA’s ruling came after just one complaint, deeming the ad “irresponsible” and likely to cause “serious offence.”
They stated: “We understood there was a negative racial stereotype based on the association between black males, including teenagers, and threatening behaviour. […] The ad, when seen in isolation, had the effect of perpetuating a negative racial stereotype about black men as perpetrators of threatening behaviour.”
TfL was ordered to ensure future ads avoid such “harmful stereotypes.”
…the BBC is so terrified of it’s own shadow it shows a bus instead of an image of the ad. So here it is… pic.twitter.com/kddnOYeWUr
— Timor Maslow (@ThePGTipschimp) February 18, 2026
TfL even defended the campaign, noting it featured a diverse range of scenarios to reflect London’s population. Other cut-downs included a white male committing a hate crime against a black woman and another white male targeting a white male victim.
Ah yes, but any instance of a black person being the aggressor must be purged. That is not allowed, because clearly it NEVER happens in London and it’s racist. OK?
In Britain it is now functionally illegal to show anyone but a white man committing harassment. https://t.co/F37aZYtc6V
— Tom Jones (@93vintagejones) February 18, 2026
TFL ADVERT SHOWING BLACK MAN HARASSING A WHITE GIRL ON A BUS HAS BEEN BANNED
— James Goddard (@JamesPGoddard90) February 18, 2026
Transport for London have pulled the ad for reinforcing 'negative racial stereotypes'. The Facebook ad was binned after just 1 complaint.
We can't have any adverts that depict real life can we? pic.twitter.com/NmViMulQbP
TfL issued a an apology, with a spokeswoman remarking “Our aim is to ensure that our advertising reflects London’s diverse population and does not perpetuate any stereotypes. […] We’re sorry that this social media advert […] falls below our usual high standards when viewed in isolation.”
Of course, similar government anti-harassment ads have repeatedly cast white men as the sole perpetrators, with diverse victims – and that seems to be just fine.
In this government anti-harassment ad, all the perpetrators are White, and all the victims are diverse.
— Taya (@travelingflying) February 16, 2026
Media regularly portrays White people as the problem.
This is blatant anti-White racism, and it’s completely unacceptable. pic.twitter.com/clYytRW8gn
White villains are fair game, but anything else gets labeled a “negative racial stereotype.”
Ah, didn't they know you're only allow to show White men in negative roles in adverts? pic.twitter.com/YkjcW61K8A
— Ryan. (@Jimmy_Sprocket) February 18, 2026
They banned the most realistic commercial EVER. https://t.co/lsWMv9QWCV
— Pol Atreides (@Aliathewhite) February 18, 2026
Why are only white British people allowed to be the baddies? https://t.co/cPS29Qec1m
— Neil O'Brien (@NeilDotObrien) February 18, 2026
So you can’t use black people in an ad about harassment but you can use white people, as we’ve seen in multiple adverts by TFL.
— Alex Armstrong (@Alexarmstrong) February 18, 2026
This decision is literally racist. pic.twitter.com/0JUEFRVgCl
This episode underscores the woke stranglehold on media and advertising. In a city where harassment reports surge amid unchecked borders, honest campaigns should be encouraged, not censored. The left’s obsession with “equity” blinds them to actual threats, leaving women – especially native Brits – more vulnerable.
TfL’s quick capitulation to one complaint shows how easily truth is suppressed. If ads with white harassers face no backlash, why the uproar here? It’s a clear case of protecting narratives over people.
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