Benzinga - by Ananya Gairola, Benzinga Staff Writer.
As backlash mounts over his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), Elon Musk is slated to visit the Auschwitz concentration camp next week.
The visit is part of a two-day event aimed at addressing the rising tide of antisemitism.
What Happened: Musk, also the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, will join the event organized by the European Jewish Association. The event’s goal is to raise awareness about the increasing antisemitism in Europe, a concern that has surged after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack in Israel, reported The Washington Post.
The event, set to start on Monday, will see Musk visiting Auschwitz and participating in other events in Krakow, as stated by association spokesman Nir Natan.
Moreover, an agenda for the event revealed that the tech billionaire will engage in dialogue about antisemitism with conservative commentator Ben Shapiro at a symposium in Krakow on Monday.
Musk acquired Twitter for $44 billion in October 2022 and subsequently rebranded it to X. The platform has been the target of criticism amid the spread of antisemitic content.
Previously, the Anti-Defamation League reported a more than 900% increase in antisemitic content on X following the Israel-Hamas conflict that got triggered again on Oct. 7. In response, Musk threatened to sue the Anti-Defamation League over its report and publicly condemned Hamas for the murder of innocent civilians.
Why It Matters: The controversy follows Musk’s interaction with an antisemitic conspiracy post on X, leading to an advertising boycott on the platform. He also said that the boycott by big advertisers like Apple, Walt Disney Co. and others was “going to kill the company.”
In November, last year, Musk addressed the controversy at the New York Times DealBook Forum. At the time, while he apologized for the antisemitic post, he maintained that the media overlooked his efforts to clarify the situation.
"I don't want them to advertise," he said. "If someone is going to blackmail me with advertising or money go f**k yourself. Go. F**k. Yourself."
"Is that clear? Hey Bob, if you're in the audience, that's how I feel" he added, referring to Disney CEO Bob Iger.
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