San Francisco Officials Investigate Elon Musk’s Giant Flashing ‘X’ Sign on Twitter HQ

Elon Musk’s giant “X” sign, installed on the roof of Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters as part of his rebranding effort, is under investigation by city officials for lacking the necessary permits. City inspectors attempted to access the roof to inspect the sign, but Twitter denied them access.

The New York Times reports that city officials are looking into the giant X sign that was put on the roof of Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters as part of its rebranding efforts because it did not have the appropriate permissions.

Elon Musk looks puzzled (Anadolu Agency/Getty)

The X sign, which was installed on Friday, has sparked controversy due to flashing throughout the night. Whether or not the city has fielded complaints about the light pollution, city officials have stated that a building permit is required to ensure the sign’s structural integrity and safe installation.

“A building permit is required to make sure the sign is structurally sound and installed safely,” said Patrick Hannan, a spokesman for the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection. “Planning review and approval is also necessary for the installation of this sign.”

Despite the city’s attempts to inspect the sign, Twitter has denied access to its roof. The social media giant has defended the sign as a “temporary lighted sign for an event,” according to a complaint filed with the city.

City inspectors attempted to gain access to the roof a second time on Saturday, but were again denied entry by the tenant. Twitter has yet to respond to requests for comment on the issue.

Matt Dorsey, the District 6 supervisor who represents the part of the city where Twitter has its headquarters, expressed his disappointment with the company’s refusal to cooperate with building inspectors. He extended an olive branch, hoping for a change in Twitter’s stance.

“I would like to sort of extend an olive branch,” Dorsey said. “I think there’s a lot of people in city government who would welcome the opportunity to work with a large employer like X, and let’s figure out what we’re going to do with the sign, but we can have a good productive partnership with a city employer.”

This is not the first time Twitter has faced controversy over its signage. Earlier, the San Francisco police halted the removal of the brand’s iconic bird logo from the side of the building, citing safety concerns for pedestrians. A complaint about that sign’s removal was also filed with the city. The ‘X’ sign was installed shortly after the original sign was removed.

Read more at the New York Times here.

Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship. Follow him on Twitter @LucasNolan