California DMV Issues Apology Amid Claims of Mocking Israel Attack
A family from California has clarified that the personalized license plate LOLOCT7 was misinterpreted. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
A family of a car owner has stated that the license plate registration LOLOCT7 was misunderstood.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles has issued an apology over a contentious license plate that appeared to make light of the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas.
Media reports indicate that the personalized plate was displayed on a Tesla Cybertruck and read "LOLOCT7," generating significant backlash online. The abbreviation "LOL" is commonly understood to mean "laughing out loud."
The plate in question was reportedly seen in Culver City, near Los Angeles, and gained notoriety after the activist group StopAntisemitism shared a photo of it last week on X.
The organization condemned the plate, believing it referenced the events of October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants executed a surprise cross-border raid on Israel, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals and the abduction of 250 hostages. This incursion triggered severe retaliation from Israel against Palestinians in Gaza and has escalated into a devastating military conflict that has claimed the lives of over 45,000 Palestinians, the majority of whom were civilians.
StopAntisemitism articulated that the plate glorified what the group characterized as "terrorism against the Jewish people" and called on the DMV to revoke the plate, labeling it a "vile mockery of the 1,200 innocent lives lost."
In response, the DMV released a statement shortly thereafter, vowing to take "swift action to recall these shocking plates" and to enhance its internal review procedures "to ensure such an egregious oversight never happens again."
Meanwhile, the car owner's son conveyed to a local ABC affiliate on Saturday that the plate had been misinterpreted and was unrelated to the tragic event. He explained that the family is Filipino, noting that "lolo" in Tagalog means grandfather, "CT" stands for Cybertruck, and the number 7 represents the owner's seven grandchildren.
"We have great empathy for anyone who has experienced any hatred," the man remarked. "And 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 further stated that the family had clearly explained the meaning during the DMV's application process. The controversial plate has since been revoked.
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
The California Department of Motor Vehicles has issued an apology over a contentious license plate that appeared to make light of the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas.
Media reports indicate that the personalized plate was displayed on a Tesla Cybertruck and read "LOLOCT7," generating significant backlash online. The abbreviation "LOL" is commonly understood to mean "laughing out loud."
The plate in question was reportedly seen in Culver City, near Los Angeles, and gained notoriety after the activist group StopAntisemitism shared a photo of it last week on X.
The organization condemned the plate, believing it referenced the events of October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants executed a surprise cross-border raid on Israel, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals and the abduction of 250 hostages. This incursion triggered severe retaliation from Israel against Palestinians in Gaza and has escalated into a devastating military conflict that has claimed the lives of over 45,000 Palestinians, the majority of whom were civilians.
StopAntisemitism articulated that the plate glorified what the group characterized as "terrorism against the Jewish people" and called on the DMV to revoke the plate, labeling it a "vile mockery of the 1,200 innocent lives lost."
In response, the DMV released a statement shortly thereafter, vowing to take "swift action to recall these shocking plates" and to enhance its internal review procedures "to ensure such an egregious oversight never happens again."
Meanwhile, the car owner's son conveyed to a local ABC affiliate on Saturday that the plate had been misinterpreted and was unrelated to the tragic event. He explained that the family is Filipino, noting that "lolo" in Tagalog means grandfather, "CT" stands for Cybertruck, and the number 7 represents the owner's seven grandchildren.
"We have great empathy for anyone who has experienced any hatred," the man remarked. "And 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 further stated that the family had clearly explained the meaning during the DMV's application process. The controversial plate has since been revoked.
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
