California DMV Apologizes, Recalls License Plate After Hate Speech Accusation; Owner Disputes Meaning
The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has issued a public apology and announced the recall of a personalized license plate after it sparked outrage on social media for its perceived connection to the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. However, a relative of the vehicle owner claims the plate’s meaning was entirely misinterpreted, The Associated Press reports.
A photo posted on X (formerly Twitter) by the watchdog group StopAntisemitism showed a Tesla Cybertruck displaying the license plate “LOLOCT7” near Los Angeles. The group asserted that “LOL,” an abbreviation for “laugh out loud,” coupled with the date of the Hamas attack, constituted hate speech.
The DMV swiftly responded, issuing a statement calling the plate “unacceptable and disturbing” and saying that its approval was a “shocking oversight.” The department vowed to strengthen its review process to prevent similar incidents. A DMV spokesperson confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that the plate should not have been approved and that many people found it offensive upon its appearance on social media.
However, the son of the vehicle’s owner contradicted the hate speech interpretation in an interview with ABC 7 Los Angeles. He explained that “LOLO” is the Tagalog word for grandfather, referring to his father, the owner of the Cybertruck. “CT” represents the Cybertruck model, and “7” signifies the owner’s seven children.
The DMV said it will notify the license plate owner of the recall and their right to appeal the decision.
