Sadiq Khan’s Transport for London (TfL) has been forced to remove a series of billboards featuring a controversial Islamic preacher which were first exposed by GB News.
An Advertising Standards Authority crackdown has seen the campaign, by Islamic finance firm Wahed, pulled from signs across the capital.
In October 2024, GB News revealed Wahed had been advertising its products through Muslim preacher Ismail ibn Musa Menk, known as “Mufti Menk” and ex-UFC fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov surrounded by burning banknotes.
At the time, the campaign drew outrage from the Mayor’s City Hall colleagues, who warned that the ads “begged a lot of questions” about ads on the Underground after comedian Ed Gamble’s posters were banned because they featured a hot dog.
Conservative London Assembly member Susan Hall brought the ads to the Mayor’s attention
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The ASA has now ruled that the posters “were likely to cause serious offence” through their depictions of banknotes on fire.
The body said all the ads showed the words “The United States of America” in flames, and would have been seen by many people – including tourists from the US.
Khan himself had pledged to “have a look at it” after Conservative London Assembly member Susan Hall brought the ads to the Mayor’s attention.
GB News was then told the Mayor has “no involvement” in approving or deciding which adverts run on the TfL network – despite having intervened on campaigns in the past.
Hall subsequently accused Khan of intervening on TfL advertising matters only when it suited him.
She said: “I am at a loss for words. When I asked the Mayor about this advert, he said he would look into it, and now we discover that he apparently has no power over it.
“Why would he suggest he would look into it if he already knew this? It beggars belief!”
AS IT HAPPENED: GB NEWS EXPOSES ‘RIDICULOUS’ TFL ADVERTISING:
A spokeswoman for Sadiq Khan said TfL’s policy on ads ‘reflects legal requirements’ – but now, the Wahed ads have been banned
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When GB News brought the ads to light, TfL told this broadcaster that the ads “had been reviewed” and were found to comply with its advertising policy – and continued to appear across London.
While a spokeswoman for Sadiq Khan said TfL’s policy on ads “reflects legal requirements”.
The ASA said it had received 75 complaints that the ads were offensive.
A statement from ASA said: “We acknowledged Wahed Invest’s view that the burning of banknotes illustrated that money which grew at a rate lower than inflation decreased in value in real terms.
“The ads represented the expression that viewers’ money was ‘going up in flames’ and that images of burning money were commonly encountered.
PICTURED: Ramzan Kadyrov ally Khabib Nurmagomedov advertises for the firm on a billboard in central London
GB NEWS
“However, regardless of whether viewers would have understood that message or understood it as a defiant act designed to show a challenge to financial institutions, the currencies which were burned in all of the ads were clearly visible as US dollar and euro banknotes.
“We considered some viewers, particularly people from the United States or eurozone countries, would have viewed their nation’s currency as being culturally significant and a symbol of their national identity.
“Although we acknowledged Wahed Invest’s view that they had not directly criticised a specific group, and that depictions of burning banknotes were commonly encountered, we considered the burning of banknotes would have caused serious offence to some viewers.
“We therefore concluded that the ads were likely to cause serious offence.”
Wahed Invest said its intention was to “spark thought and awareness” and acknowledged the ASA’s feedback on the use of international currency.
A spokesman for the firm said: “We understand that visuals like those included in our campaign can elicit strong reactions.
“While our intention was to spark thought and awareness, we recognise the importance of ensuring that messaging resonates positively with the diverse audiences that may consume them.
“We acknowledge and appreciate the ASA’s feedback on the use of international currency.”
TfL had paused all Wahed’s campaigns pending the outcome of the ASA investigation – and has said it would apply the regulator’s findings “when considering any future campaigns”.
There are now no more ad campaigns for Wahed booked for the TfL estate.
