California DMV Apologizes for Issuing Anti-Semitic License Plate

A California Department of Motor Vehicles office in Corte Madera, Calif., on May 9, 2017. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The California Department of Motor Vehicles publicly apologized Dec. 12 for issuing a license plate that appears to mock the Oct. 7 terrorist attack that killed more than 1,200 in Israel.

The grassroots organization Stop Antisemitism posted a photo of the license plate, which read “LOLOCT7,” on X on Tuesday.

The photo showed the license plate on a Tesla Cybertruck in Culver City near the intersection of Sepulveda and Jefferson boulevards, about 10 miles west of downtown Los Angeles, according to the group.

Stop Antisemitism said it was appalled by the “sickening display,” a post on its X account said Tuesday.

“Stop Antisemitism condemns in the strongest terms the issuance of a license plate glorifying the 10/7 massacre of innocent Israelis—a grotesque endorsement of violence and hatred,” Liora Rez, executive director of Stop Antisemitism, told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement Friday.

The photo sparked outrage among the group’s supporters, many of whom emailed the DMV, according to a post on X.

On Thursday, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) apologized for issuing the plates and said it would recall them.

“This is unacceptable and disturbing,” the DMV said in a Facebook post. “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 DMV added that they were sorry the plates were not properly rejected during the review process.

“The use of hateful language is not only a clear violation of our policies but also a violation of our core values to proudly serve the public and ensure safe and welcoming roadways,” the DMV wrote.

Sylvia Javier Guanlao of Anaheim responded to the DMV’s post, saying “good job to whoever saw and said something about it to DMV.”

The California DMV rejects personalized license plates that are considered offensive, according to the department.

Objectionable content includes sexual connotations; vulgar or degrading terms; or terms of contempt, prejudice, or hostility. Also unacceptable are swear words, negative connotations aimed at a specific group, terms that misrepresent a law enforcement entity; and foreign slang.

Stop Antisemitism said no government agency should condone or dismiss anti-Semitism.

“For the sake of the Jewish community and our entire nation, there can be no tolerance for this dangerous ideology,” Rez said.