(AllHipHop News) British authorities are considering whether to investigate adverts that appeared on London buses proclaiming Michael Jackson is innocent of sexual abuse allegations.
In new documentary “Leaving Neverland,” Wade Robson and James Safechuck accuse the late King of Pop of sexually abusing them as children, when they’d stay with him in his bed.
Fans raised more than $26,500 in response to the film’s broadcast earlier this month to buy ads on buses and bus stops quoting Michael’s nephew Taj’s statement, “Facts don’t lie. People do,” with the word, “Innocent,” superimposed on his mouth.
Officials at Transport for London (TfL) announced they were removing the ads after protests from victims’ groups, and officials at the U.K. Advertising Standards Authority said they are reviewing whether to investigate after receiving 26 complaints from members of the public.
A spokesperson says they are likely to come to a decision on whether to launch a full probe “early next week” and their next move would take into account TfL chiefs’ decision to remove the ads.
In their statement announcing the ads would be pulled, TfL told the BBC:
“We have reviewed our position and will be removing these advertisements. They have been rejected due to the public sensitivity and concern around their content.”
Staff at British charity The Survivors Trust had complained that they were “particularly concerned” that TfL had agreed to run adverts that “perpetuates” the “fear among survivors” that they would not be believed.
Taj is backing a ‘Michael Jackson is Innocent’ project which aims to clear his uncle’s name and in January, started a crowdfunding campaign to produce an alternative documentary series aimed at debunking the claims made in “Leaving Neverland.”