Claiming their free speech has been violated, advertisers are speaking out against the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission’s decision to let taxi drivers decline to post ads featuring scantily-clad women on their vehicles. The companies are bitter that they apparently wasted the money they paid to create ads they now can’t use as widely as planned.

According to the AP, the TLC ruled that cab drivers who own their own cars have the right to opt out of ads they find too racy. Before the decision, the entities that owned the medallions — attachments to the cabs that display ads — had the right to decide which ads the cabs used.

The advertisers expressed their distaste for the TLC decision by gathering near of the organization’s offices Sunday.

NYC advertisers protest decision not to post ads [AP via Newsday]

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