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By Theo Burman
Live News Reporter
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A fake advert mimicking Tesla and Elon Musk has received over 6 million views on TikTok after just a few days.
The ad, which pretends to show a new model of "Swasticar" from the electric vehicle company, references Musk's hand gesture at President Donald Trump's inauguration, which was criticized for resembling a Nazi salute.
Why It Matters
Musk's arm gesture in the first few hours of Trump's presidency was compared to a Nazi "Roman salute" by critics, and has become associated with him since then. Other right-wing figures have copied the gesture in reference to Musk, including conservative political strategist Steve Bannon.
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What To Know
The advert appears to have been displayed at a bus station in London's East End, according to a TikTok video that has been viewed over 6 million times.
In the video, the fake ad features Musk inside a Telsa making the gesture resembling a Nazi salute, with the caption: "Goes from 0 to 1939 in three seconds; The Swasticar," in reference to the year that World War II began with the Nazi invasion of Poland.
Newsweek was unable to independently verify whether the fake ad was posted at the bus stop after being paid for, posted illegitimately or generated by AI.
Newsweek has asked for comment via email from JCDecaux, a trusted advertising display partner of many U.K. local authority transport systems.
Telsa has been the frequent subject of images like this since Musk made the gesture, one factory in Germany having "Heil Tesla" projected on its side by protesters shortly after Trump's inauguration.
Europe has reduced its demand for Tesla as Musk has become more politically involved. Tesla registrations have declined more than 40 percent in the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway over the past year, and Spain witnessing the steepest decline of 75 percent in the same period.
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As Tesla's CEO and its biggest shareholder, Musk's finances are uniquely tied to the company, which is the largest electric car manufacturer in the U.S.
What People Are Saying
In response to the criticisms of his gesture, Elon Musk said on X**:** "Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The 'everyone is Hitler' attack is sooo tired. The radical leftists are really upset that they had to take time out of their busy day praising Hamas to call me a Nazi."
The Anti-Defamation League posted a response to criticism of Musk's gesture on X: "It seems that Elon Musk made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, but again, we appreciate that people are on edge. In this moment, all sides should give one another a bit of grace, perhaps even the benefit of the doubt, and take a breath."
What Happens Next
Musk continues in his role as head of the Department of Goverment Efficiency, while also being the CEO of Tesla.
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