German luxury carmaker BMW was trolled on Thursday after its UK unit suddenly announced it was “no longer posting” on X – a move attributed by many users as an odd way to protest the site’s owner. social media, Elon Musk.
Musk has faced scrutiny this week after extending his arm twice in an awkward gesture that critics called a “Nazi salute” during an appearance at President Trump’s inauguration.
“We are no longer posting on X,” BMW UK wrote on its official X account – without giving a reason for its decision.
Don’t worry though, our Customer Support team is still here if you need us. You can also see all the latest BMW news by following us on Facebook and Instagram at BMWUK.”
The company was quickly criticized by X users who pointed to BMW’s fraught history with Nazi Germany.
“This you?” Alt-right activist Jack Posobiec wrote and posted a black-and-white photo of Adolf Hitler visiting a BMW facility.
Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee even called for a boycott of the brand that touts itself as the “ultimate driving car.”
“BMW = ‘Getting smarter,'” Lee wrote in X. “Don’t buy their cars.”
In 2016, the company expressed “deep regret” for the “great suffering” caused by the use of slave labor during World War II.
“Elon just said ‘my heart goes out to you.’ You on the other hand… Your early history is not very clean, is it?” X user @Left_Right_2 said.
One user said BMW’s announcement was a “historic event” that “marks the first time a BMW has signaled before lane departure”.
Sawyer Merritt, who runs a prominent X account that frequently interacts with Musk, did an analysis of the BMW UK account.
“Their posts averaged 12 likes,” Merritt wrote.
When reached for comment, a BMW UK spokesperson said the division “will continue to be active on X” despite no longer posting to the account.
The spokesman did not respond to questions about whether Musk’s behavior prompted the move.
“The social media presence of BMW Group brands is managed by each country/region to address their unique requirements,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
“In the UK we will continue to be active in X, providing a dedicated customer support channel to meet the needs of our customers,” the spokesperson added.
“This approach will vary between our brands and regions, reflecting the specific needs of each market.”
Musk, 55, has hit back at those who accused him of giving Nazi salutes.
“Honestly, they need better dirty tricks. The ‘everyone is Hitler’ attack is so tired,” Musk said in a post on X.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was among those who came to Musk’s defense.
“Elon is a great friend of Israel. He visited Israel after the October 7 massacre, in which Hamas terrorists committed the worst atrocity against the Jewish people since the Holocaust,” Netanyahu said.
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Image Source : nypost.com