California DMV Apologizes for Controversial License Plate Recall

The DMV has revoked a personalized plate after accusations of hate speech, though the car owner's family claims the interpretation was a misunderstanding.

The California DMV issued an apology for approving a license plate reading 'LOLOCT7,' which some interpreted as mocking the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
The plate, affixed to a Tesla Cybertruck, was flagged by the watchdog group StopAntisemitism, which called the plate offensive and demanded its recall.
The family of the car owner, who is Filipino, explained that the plate references the Tagalog word for grandfather ('Lolo'), the Cybertruck model ('CT'), and the owner's seven grandchildren.
The DMV acknowledged the plate should not have passed its review process and has pledged to strengthen its screening procedures to prevent similar issues in the future.
The plate has been recalled, and the vehicle owner has the option to appeal the DMV's decision.