(ABC4) – In the midst of a tense, ongoing protest involving Canadian truckers opposing COVID-19 mandates, Elon Musk wanted to input his two cents.
According to Reuters, Musk posted a Tweet that compared Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with Adolf Hitler. Musk posted the Tweet sometime late Wednesday night, but deleted the Tweet by mid-Thursday. There was no follow-up explanation or mention of the now-deleted Tweet.
A social media firestorm followed, criticizing Musk for appearing to support the Canadian truckers who have been protesting COVID-19 health mandates in Ottawa, Canada.
The Candian protest has drawn international attention, shutting down bridges, roads and even the U.S.-Canadian border at one point.
Trudeau has invoked Canada’s Emergencies Act, empowering law enforcement authorities to declare the blockades illegal, tow away trucks and punish the drivers by arresting them, freezing their bank accounts and suspending their licenses.
Although known for making jokes that some may see as offensive, some folks thought Musk’s post went too far this time.
The American Jewish Committee called on Musk for an immediate apology, saying:
“This morning, we called out @ElonMusk for tweeting an offensive meme comparing
@CanadianPM Trudeau to Hitler. Thankfully, he deleted the post. Comparing democratic leaders to Hitler is an insult to those who experienced unimaginable suffering at the hands of the Nazis.”
The Auschwitz Memorial also called Musk out saying:
“Using the image of Adolf Hitler & therefore exploiting the tragedy of all people who suffered, were humiliated, tortured & murdered by the totalitarian regime of Nazi Germany created by him is sad & disturbing. It disrespects the memory of all victims & hurts many people.”
Earlier this week, Tesla is facing another investigation, this time tied to complaints that its cars may suffer from “phantom braking” or stopping on roads for no apparent reason.
