Freedom of Information and Freedom of Speech.

The request was successful.

Dear Transport for London,

It is a mistake to remove the Michael Jackson bus ads! KEEP THEM IN PLACE! This is an attack on freedom of speech and the falsely accused. REAL abuse victims should not take this out of context but should instead be offended only at the fact that these 2 men use the subject of abuse as a platform to LIE!

Democracy’s rule is that YOU are innocent until proven guilty and Michael was proven innocence time after time in life! He his now dead.

Under the freedom of information act, by law you are required to honor our request and release any communication that you had with the Mayor of London or anyone else that influenced your decision to sensor free speech. This includes but not limited to other politicians, celebrities, organizations, and foreign entities.

You are OBLIGED to release any e-mail correspondence and meeting minutes in regards to the bus poster removals. We want HONEST answers!

Yours faithfully,

Andrew

FOI, Transport for London

Dear Andrew

 

Our ref: FOI-3430-1819/GH

 

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 14
March 2019 asking for information about the removal of Michael Jackson
Innocent ads.

 

Your request will be processed in accordance with the requirements of the
Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy.

 

A response will be sent to you by 12 April 2019. We publish a substantial
range of information on our website on subjects including operational
performance, contracts, expenditure, journey data, governance and our
financial performance. This includes data which is frequently asked for in
FOI requests or other public queries. Please check
[1]http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/transpar... to see if this helps you.

 

We will publish anonymised versions of requests and responses on the
[2]www.tfl.gov.uk website. We will not publish your name and we will send
a copy of the response to you before it is published on our website.

 

In the meantime, if you would like to discuss this matter further, please
do not hesitate to contact me.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Graham Hurt

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

 

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References

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2. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/
3. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/

FOI, Transport for London

2 Attachments

Dear Andrew

 

Our ref: FOI-3430-1819/GH

 

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 14
March 2019 asking for information about the removal of Michael Jackson
Innocent ads.

 

Your request has been considered under the requirements of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 and our information access policy. I can confirm that
we do hold the information you require.

 

Please find attached copies of the correspondence surrounding the decision
to remove these adverts. Whilst the adverts did not breach TfL’s
advertising policy, the guidelines also say that any advert will be
unacceptable if:

 

(h) it contains images or messages which relate to matters of public
controversy or sensitivity. Advertisements which are calculated to promote
tolerance, discourage prejudice, or are consistent with TfL’s Public
Sector Equality Duty, advertisements which are calculated to promote the
right to life, liberty and security of the person, and advertisements
which reasonably promote causes which are not party political, will
however not normally be disapproved on this ground;

 

Given the level of public concern that developed around this campaign and
concerns raised by victims’ charities after it began running on our
network, we reviewed our position and decided to remove these
advertisements.

 

Please note that in accordance with TfL’s obligations under Data
Protection legislation some personal data has been removed from the
attached correspondence, as required by section 40(2) of the FOI Act. This
is because disclosure of this personal data would be a breach of the
legislation, specifically the first principle which requires all
processing of personal data to be fair and lawful. It would not be fair to
disclose this personal information when the individuals have no
expectation it would be disclosed and TfL has not satisfied one of the
conditions which would make the processing ‘fair’.

 

Additionally, we are not obliged to supply some of the information as it
is subject to a statutory exemption to the right of access to information
under section 42. In this instance the exemption has been applied as some
of the information you have requested relates directly to the seeking,
provision, and result of legal advice.

 

Section 42 of the Freedom of Information Act exempts legally privileged
information, including legal advice, from disclosure under the Freedom of
Information Act. There is a very strong element of public interest inbuilt
into the concept of Legal Professional Privilege and this has long been
recognised, by the Information Commissioner, the Information Tribunal and
the courts, and it reflects the importance of legal advice being sought,
and given, in confidence as a fundamental condition on which the
administration of justice rests. There is an inherent public interest in
TfL being able to obtain full and frank legal advice, and this is
consistent with TfL’s responsibility to analyse and address legal risks
and issues.

 

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable
to access it for some reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.

 

If you are not satisfied with this response please see the attached
information sheet for details of your right to appeal.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Graham Hurt

 

FOI Case Officer

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

 

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References

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1. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/