It was a typical political attack ad. “London: a city steeped in history,” says the narrator as somber string music plays. “But today its ancient streets witness a distinct story. This is a story not about kings and queens, but about crime and desperation.
The gloomy narrative with an American accent was accompanied by promoting gloomy black and white imagesincluding a dark figure walking down an alley, a young girl looking sadly out of the window, and terrified passengers running around a train station.
But there was an issue. Those terrified people running to safety? They weren’t in London. They were at Penn Station in New York. In 2017
The ad, originally posted on social media on Monday, was intended to steer Londoners to vote for Susan Hall, the Conservative candidate for mayor, somewhat than incumbent Sadiq Khan of the Labor Party.
“I think it is unpatriotic to always denigrate the capital” Mr Khan told a BBC News reporter. “But I’m afraid this is another example of my fear coming true, which is that this election from the Conservative Party will be one where there will be disinformation and lies, and in this case clearly a video that is not about our city, but about New York.”
Ms. Hall didn’t reply to a request for comment.
Incorrect recording has been identified as originating from a stampede that occurred at Penn Station in April 2017 over erroneous reports of shootings. No shots were fired The case was reported by CNN on the time. People panicked once they heard the sound of law enforcement officials using a stun gun.
Ms. Hall has raised the difficulty of crime in the campaign that may end with the May 2 elections. “Under Sadiq Khan, crime is uncontrolled. “This has to change.” she said Monday.
Although statistics show that crime has showed a moderate increasing tendency in London, since Khan was elected in 2016, there continues to be someone in London less likely be a victim of crime than the typical for the UK as a complete. (For that matter, despite the moment of panic at Penn Station and up to date highly publicized cases, the variety of major crimes decreases police records show that in New York as well).
London-born Khan became the primary Muslim and first person of color to turn out to be mayor of London when he was elected in 2016 with a majority of 57% of the vote. He was re-elected in 2021 with 55%. He has comfortably driven in this 12 months’s polls.
In addition to crime, Ms. Hall was staunchly against the expansion of the ultra-low emissions zone, or Ulez, a plan that will require drivers of vehicles that do not meet emissions standards to pay £12 50p, or about $15.80, for every day in the event that they drive in London.
Some guards performing enforcement work in the emission zone do they covered their faces wearing balaclavas after threats and harassment from activists opposing this system.
The ad, each before and after the removal of the Penn Station scene, reads: “Deep in these narrow passageways trample squads of Ulez guards, dressed in black, their faces covered with masks, terrorizing communities at the beck and call of their Labor mayor-masters.”
