Elon Musk's controversial gesture sparks social media uproar
Elon Musk caused a major stir on social media when, during his speech at a rally at the Capital One Arena, he made a gesture twice that resembled a Roman salute. Terms such as "fascist" or "Nazi" emerged, though some defended him by claiming it was merely an "awkward gesture."
Historian Claire Aubin, a specialist on Nazism in the United States, stated that Musk's gesture meant "sieg heil". Similarly, Ruth Ben-Ghiat, an expert on fascism, described the gesture as an "aggressive Nazi salute". "Haaretz" and "The Guardian" also suggested that Musk performed a "fascist" salute.
Former Democratic Party congresswoman Cori Bush commented that Musk "looked like he was practising in front of a mirror". "Looks as if he’s been holding that in for a while and finally was able to let it rip. Like he practiced in the mirror to hit that angle just right." Bush wrote on platform X.
Meanwhile, "Wired" magazine noted that the far right in the United States welcomed the gesture with satisfaction. AFP reminds readers that, in recent weeks, Musk has repeatedly expressed support for the German far-right party AfD and the British anti-immigration party Reform UK.
There are also defenders
Defending Musk was one of the oldest and most important Jewish organisations in the world, ADL, which has previously been in conflict with him. The organization clarified on X that Elon Musk's gesture seemed to be an awkward motion made in excitement, rather than a Nazi salute.
Historian Aaron Astor also defended Musk, claiming it was a "socially awkward autistic man's wave." "I have criticized Elon Musk many times for letting neo-Nazis pollute this platform. But this gesture is not a Nazi salute. This is a socially awkward autistic man's wave to the crowd where he says "my heart goes out to you." - he stated on X.
AFP notes that Musk announced in 2021 that he suffers from Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism.
Source: PAP, X
