E-Paper
Anti-Musk protesters target Tesla showrooms in US, UK, Europe; car torched in Germany | On cam
The protesters are enraged over Elon Musk's position as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency and his moves to shut down entire federal agencies.
Sea of protesters standing against billionaire Elon Musk's actions in the US government under President Donald Trump flocked outside Tesla dealerships across America and in some European cities on Saturday, a part of their latest attempt to put a dent on the SpaceX CEO's fortune.
The protesting crowds are trying to escalate a movement against Musk's Tesla dealerships and vehicles, to oppose his role as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), under whose banner the billionaire has accessed sensitive information and moved to shut down whole of agencies while trying to cut down government spending.
The biggest chunk of Elon Musk's estimate fortune of $340 billion consists of his stock in the electric vehicle company, which he continues to run alongside his work with Trump.
Protests had been taking place earlier as well. However, Saturday saw the first mass attempt to surround all 277 showrooms and service centers of Tesla in the US, with the crowds hoping to further down the already declining sales of the electric vehicle company.
Hundreds gather at Tesla showrooms
A few dozens to hundreds of protesters amassed outside Tesla dealerships in the automaker's home state Texas, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Minnesota, and several other parts of the US. Visuals of the protests went viral on social media, with people raising slogans 'Burn a Tesla, Save Democracy', 'De-Musk America', 'Honk If You Hate Elon', 'Don't Buy Nazi Cars' and many such other posters.
Overtime, throughout the day, protesters also began to spread outside Tesla locations in other major US cities like Washington, Chicago, Cincinnati, Seattle, as well as Pennsylvania, Colorado and Virginia towns.
What is being promoted as 'Tesla Takedown' on social media, saw a flash mob protest taking place in Seattle, with protesters raising their slogan placards and posters and dancing outside a dealership outlet of the automaker.
Several dozen people were also heard chanting, "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Elon Musk has to go!" outside a showroom in Chicago. From youngsters to senior citizens, people from all faces of life were seen protesting against Musk across the US.
Anti-Musk protests outside US
The 'Tesla Takedown' movement rallies protesters outside the US as well. Though the turnout was not as big in European cities, the level of anti-Musk sentiments remained similar.
Dozens of posters of Musk making the Nazi salute, a gesture that he has been accused of reprising shortly after President Trump's inauguration on January 20, were put up outside a Tesla dealership in London.
Protesters in the UK also raised posters of 'Don't Buy Nazi Cars', Bankrupt Elon', etc., in their demonstration against Musk's purge of the US government.
Vandalism amid protests
Some protesters reportedly have taken a step beyond just demonstrations, setting Tesla vehicles ablaze or committing other acts of vandalism on them, an act which US Attorney General Pam Bondi decried as domestic terrorism.
Earlier, Musk had said that he was dumbfounded by the attacks, adding that the vandals should "stop acting pyscho".
Meanwhile, around seven Tesla cars were torched in northwestern Germany early morning, with police launching a prompt probe into it. However, an AP report mentioned that it was not clear whether the fire had anything to do with the protests.
Musk confident in Tesla
Elon Musk, however, remained confident in this electric vehicle company. Since he took over the DOGE, consumers who previously bought Tesla vehicles were looking to sell or trade them in, while others put up bumper stickers on them seeking to distance themselves from Musk.
In a March meeting, Musk had reassured the workers that Tesla's Model Y would remain the "best-selling car on Earth again this year". He predicted that the company would have sold over 10 million cars worldwide by next year, an increase from the current approximate figure of 7 million.
“There are times when there are rocky moments, where there is stormy weather, but what I am here to tell you is that the future is incredibly bright and exciting,” Musk had said.
