An image of Elon Musk making a Nazi gesture with his arm outstretched during his Monday speech at US President Donald Trump's inauguration was projected at the Tesla Gigafactory in Berlin-Brandenburg on Wednesday night.
The image showed Musk making the gesture alongside the words “Heil Tesla.” UK activist group Led By Donkeys and Germany's Center for Political Beauty were behind the exhibit and posted a shared Instagram post of the two groups. “Tesla Gigafactory, Berlin. #LedByDonkeys,” the caption read.
Led By Donkeys also shared a minidoc on Instagram on Thursday, with the caption: “The richest man in the world, Elon Musk, is promoting the far right in Europe. Don't buy @teslamotors. Location: Tesla Gigafactory, Berlin.
“This is the Tesla Gigafactory in Berlin, where Elon Musk manufactures Tesla cars for the European market. It is factories like this that have made him the richest person in the world. But now he is using that wealth, billions of dollars accumulated selling Teslas, to promote European far-right parties,” the minidoc voice-over begins. “He is openly supporting the far-right AfD (Alternative for Germany) in the upcoming German elections, stating that 'only the AfD can save Germany'.”
The projection of the image at the Tesla Gigafactory comes after Musk's speech on Monday at Trump's inauguration. He thanked Trump supporters before slapping his chest and extending his arm out and up with his palm facing down.
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“I just want to thank you for making it possible,” Musk said during his speech at the Capital One Arena, referring to Trump's victory in the US presidential election. Then he slapped his chest and extended his arm upwards with his palm facing down.
“My heart goes out to you,” Musk said, after turning around to make a similar gesture the other way.
Musk responded to accusations that his gesture resembled a Nazi X salute several hours after leaving the stage.
“Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The 'everyone is Hitler' attack is very tired,” Musk wrote.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which campaigns against anti-Semitism, has come to Musk's defense.
“It appears that @elonmusk made an awkward gesture in a moment of excitement, not a Nazi salute, but again, we appreciate that people are nervous,” the organization wrote in a social media post Monday afternoon.
“Right now, all parties should give themselves some grace, maybe even the benefit of the doubt, and take a breath. This is a new beginning. Let us hope for healing and work towards unity in the months and years to come.”
Meanwhile, the The ADL website describes the “Hitler salute” or “Nazi salute.” as consisting of “raising the extended right arm with the palm facing down.”
“In Nazi Germany, it was often accompanied by chants or shouts of 'Heil Hitler' or 'Sieg Heil,'” the description continues. “Since World War II, neo-Nazis and other white supremacists have continued to use the salute, making it the most common white supremacist hand sign in the world.”
Musk has not responded or reacted publicly to the image being projected at the Tesla factory as of this writing.
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—With files from Michelle Butterfield of Global News and The Associated Press
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