Elon Musk’s new X headquarters sign removed amid planning row as neighbours complain

The sign annoyed neighbours with its constant flashing

A giant illuminated logo sign for the social media company formerly known as Twitter has been removed – hours after city authorities launched a planning investigation following complaints from neighbours.

Locals have complained about the giant glowing “X” sign that has been erected on the company’s headquarters in the city by maverick chief executive Elon Musk.

The social media network was recently rebranded by Mr Musk, who did away with the iconic blue bird symbol and said tweeting would from now would be known as “X-ing” in a nod to his favourite letter.

The local government issued a “notice of violation” as soon as the sign was put up on Friday, saying it did not have the correct planning permission. However, the logo continued to flash, annoying residents living nearby.

It appeared to have been taken down late on Monday.

The Washington Post reported that planning officials had tried to gain access to the building’s roof to inspect the sign, but had been denied access by X employees. X is understood to have claimed the structure “is a temporary lighted sign for an event”.

One man, Christopher Beale, who lives opposite the building, tweeted a video of the sign flashing a bright white light in the shape of the logo for X.

An aerial view shows a newly constructed X sign on the roof of the headquarters of the social media platform previously known as Twitter, in San Francisco.

“Imagine no more – this is my life now,” he wrote. Two days later he posted another tweet saying the sign’s illuminations appeared to have been switched off temporarily.

Patricia Wallinga, who also lives nearby, told CBS news it was “a danger” and “a clown show”. "I thought it was lightning, and I was very confused," she said. “I went to my window, I looked around, I didn’t see anything. I thought it was maybe a police siren.”

Mr Musk, who acquired Twitter in October last year for $44 billion [£34.2bn], said he would keep the company in San Francisco despite what he has dubbed as the city’s recent “doom spiral, with one company after another left or leaving”. The city struggled to recover from the Covid pandemic, with many big name firms moving elsewhere.

Since he bought the social media network, he has cut more than 80 per cent of its workforce and ended its verification system of well-known people for a pay-for service open to all.

He posted on X on Saturday: “Many have offered rich incentives for X (fka Twitter) to move its HQ out of San Francisco. Moreover, the city is in a doom spiral, with one company after another left or leaving. Therefore, they expect X will move too.

“We will not. You only know who your real friends are when the chips are down. San Francisco, beautiful San Francisco, though others forsake you, we will always be your friend.”

City officials reportedly visited the site twice over the weekend to investigate the complaints and have now launched an investigation into the sign.

Last week, police stopped work to remove the old name from the sign, leaving only the bird symbol and the “er” letters from “Twitter”.

Mr Musk and his wife, singer Grimes, also named their baby son after his favourite letter – full name “X Æ A-12 Musk”. However, she recently revealed they had had to change it in accordance with Californian law to “X AE A-XII Musk”.