The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has found itself in the midst of a controversy, following the issuance of a license plate that was perceived to be making light of the October 7 attack.
The DMV has since issued an apology, promising to revise its review process to prevent such incidents in the future. The contentious license plate, which read "LOLOCT7," was spotted on a Tesla Cybertruck in Culver City, California, as reported by Yahoo News.
According to Newsweek, the plate sparked outrage among various groups, including StopAntisemitism, who interpreted the phrase as a mockery of the October 7 attack. The attack, orchestrated by Hamas on Israel, resulted in the death of approximately 1,200 individuals, the majority of whom were civilians. The aftermath of the attack saw a significant rise in antisemitism in the U.S., with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reporting over 10,000 antisemitic incidents in the year following the attack. This figure, the ADL noted, was the highest since 1979 when the organization first began tracking antisemitism in the U.S.
The October 7 attack also triggered a war in Gaza, resulting in the death of 44,000 Palestinians, as stated by the Gazan Health Ministry. Amnesty International has since accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians through its military campaign in the Gaza Strip.
The controversy surrounding the license plate arose when StopAntisemitism posted a photograph of it on X (formerly Twitter), interpreting "LOLOCT7" as someone "laughing out loud" at the October 7 attack. However, the son of the Cybertruck's owner refuted this interpretation, stating that the phrase was in Tagalog and not intended to mock the attack.
The family, of Filipino descent, explained that the plates were meant to be read as "LOLO-CT-7," with "Lolo" being the Tagalog term for grandfather, "CT" standing for Cybertruck, and "7" representing the owner's seven grandchildren. The son further stated that this explanation was provided to the DMV during the application process for the plates.
In response to the controversy, the California DMV issued a statement on X, expressing their regret over the incident and promising to take immediate action. "This is unacceptable and disturbing. The DMV is taking swift action to recall these shocking plates, and we will immediately strengthen our internal review process to ensure such an egregious oversight never happens again," the statement read.
StopAntisemitism, on the other hand, expressed its disgust over the incident. Liora Rez, the executive director of StopAntisemitism, stated, "The license plate has rightfully been revoked and the owner should get a new plate. Regardless of the owner's intended meaning, the fact remains that this plate evokes antisemitic associations that are harmful and distressing to millions who witnessed the murder, rape, and torture of 10/7."
The son of the owner, while speaking to KABC, maintained that the entire incident was a misunderstanding. "We have great empathy for anyone who has experienced any hatred. We would really appreciate, in turn, for anyone that's seeing this or hearing this to have any empathy toward our family because we had no ill intent for anything," he said.
In the wake of this incident, the DMV has removed the controversial plates and pledged to refine its review process to prevent any future offense. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and sensitivity in public spaces, even in seemingly mundane aspects such as license plates.
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