The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has issued an apology regarding a controversial personalized truck license plate that was deemed offensive and linked to the recent attack on Israel on October 7. The department described the license plate as “unacceptable and disturbing.” However, a family member of the vehicle’s owner claims that the situation resulted from a misunderstanding.

A photo shared on social media by the monitoring organization StopAntisemitism depicted a license plate on a Tesla Cybertruck located near Los Angeles, displaying the text “LOLOCT7.” In common internet language, “LOL” translates to “laugh out loud.”

The watchdog group interpreted the plate as a reference to the tragic events of October 7, 2023, when Hamas forces attacked Israel, resulting in significant casualties and triggering retaliatory actions against Palestinians in Gaza.

However, the owner’s son clarified to a local news outlet that the license plate was not intended to reference the attack. He explained that the term “LOLO” translates to grandfather in Tagalog and is a nod to the family’s heritage. The “CT” stands for Cybertruck, while the number 7 signifies the owner’s seven children.

In response to the backlash, the DMV released a statement on Thursday, committing to swift action to revoke the license plates deemed offensive, as they implement a more thorough review process to prevent similar oversights in the future.

A DMV representative informed a local newspaper that the particular license plate should never have been approved. Following its exposure on social media, numerous individuals expressed their offense, prompting the DMV to act.

The DMV emphasized that hateful language contradicts its policies and the agency’s fundamental mission to serve the public with safe and inclusive roadways.

The department plans to notify the owner of the license plate about its recall due to the language it contains. The vehicle owner also retains the right to contest the DMV’s decision regarding the plate.