FACT CHECK: Do NYC Sanitation Ads Show People In MAGA Hats And The Text ‘Keep NYC Trash Free’?

October 31st, 2024
RANCHO PALOS VERDES-CA-SEPTEMBER 13, 2024: Rancho Palos Verdes Mayor John Cruikshank holds a MAGA hat while listening to former President Donald J. Trump, speak during a press conference at Trump National Golf Course on Friday, September 13, 2024. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

An image shared on X allegedly shows ads placed on trash receptacles that on behalf of the NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY) read “Keep NYC Trash Free” and show people wearing MAGA hats. 

 

Verdict: False

These are not genuine DSNY ads, a spokesperson for the department told Check Your Fact via email.

Fact Check: 

Two women got in an altercation when one woman asked the other to remove their “Make America Great Again” hat, the fight escalated to punches, according to The Independent. The incident occurred between the women on a flight going from Heathrow to Austin, Texas and the two women were removed from the flight, the outlet reported.

An X post allegedly shows ads made on behalf of DSNY, the department’s logo seen in the bottom right corner. Both posters show people wearing MAGA hats and the text “Keep NYC Trash Free.”  One is of a woman who is holding a bible in one hand, and the other is of a man holding a Chick-fil-A cup with a tattoo of a Confederate flag in a heart shape on his arm.

“Wonder how long it’ll be before they put on arm bands,” the caption reads.

These are not genuine DSNY ads, but instead were images were created by graphic artist Winston Tseng. Both images can be found on his site. (RELATED: Were There 200,000 Attendees At Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden Rally?)

“These posters were not created or issued by DSNY. They were unlawfully placed on these City litter baskets in 2018,” a NYC Sanitation spokesperson told Check Your Fact via email, referencing a recent post with the same message. 

 

DSNY also made a post back in October 2018 that says, “Unauthorized posters illegally affixed to some litter baskets are being removed.” It shows an image of the poster halfway peeled off of the litter basket. 

 

Anna Mock

Fact Check Reporter