Arizona licence plate revoked after antisemitic slur found

The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has revoked a licence plate for incorporating an antisemitic slur.

The licence plate spelled the word “kike”, with the “i” replaced with the number “one”. The word, still recognisable, is an offensive slur directed at Jews.

The custom licence plate was approved by ADOT but, after being alerted to the concern about its antisemitic meaning, officials responded with a statement saying that “the customisation request involved the commonly used diminutive of the given name Enrique. Given the understandable concern raised by a constituent, ADOT will revoke the plate.”

This event follows an earlier review of custom licence plates by ADOT in September 2022, which lists as a criterion for rejection licence plates that have “connotations that are profane or obscene” or a plate that “expresses contempt for or ridicule or superiority of a class of persons”.

Campaign Against Antisemitism reports on news and incidents relating to antisemitism throughout the United States.

Image credit: StopAntisemitism