Description:
A billboard advertisement for the Khalistan Referendum depicted images including Canadian flags, a map of India, and a picture of two men holding guns. The ad also included a box identified as “Khalistan Referendum” with drawings of an arm marked with the word “Khalistan” holding a pencil that was stabbing a gun marked with the word “India”.
Complaint:
The complainant objected that the advertisement depicted extreme violence.
Response:
Although Ad Standards requested a response from the advertiser, there was no response sent to Council.
Decision:
Council considered the ad under Clauses 10 (Safety) and 14(b) (Unacceptable Depictions and Portrayals) of the Code.
Council predominantly discussed the image of the arm stabbing a gun with a pencil and the picture of two men holding guns, seemingly pointed at each other. While some members saw an act of violence in the arm stabbing a gun, a majority of members understood it as a representation of using a vote in the Khalistan referendum, and not as an incitation to violence. Council also considered the image of the two men holding guns. A majority of Council members found that showing men pointing guns at each other is an image that would incite and condone violence, and that the depiction of guns could encourage an unsafe behaviour.
For these reasons, a majority of Council members found that the image of the two men holding guns at each other included in this advertisement appeared to condone or incite violence and displayed a disregard for safety by depicting a situation that might reasonably be interpreted as encouraging unsafe acts.
Infraction:
Clauses 10 (Safety), 14(b) (Unacceptable Depictions and Portrayals)
