- Elon Musk stirred the ire of millions with a gesture that bared a resemblance to a Nazi salute.
- Two activist groups protested by projecting an image of Musk and different words on the Tesla factory in Berlin.
Elon Musk’s ability to dominate the news cycle seems boundless, even when he’s not racking up another major win. His latest moment in the spotlight comes after a questionable gesture at a U.S. presidential inauguration, which has now been turned into a protest statement by two activist groups—projected right onto Tesla’s Gigafactory in Germany.
For those who might have somehow missed it (I’m jealous of you), Elon Musk Musk raised eyebrows at Donald Trump’s Presidential Parade by twice extending his arm outward with his palm down, a gesture some have likened to a Nazi salute.
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Others, including the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a nonprofit focused on combating antisemitism, and friends of Musk, argued that his gesture wasn’t a “Nazi salute.” Instead, they believe it was the enthusiastic act of a person trying to communicate his excitement and gratitude.
“This is a delicate moment. It’s a new day and yet so many are on edge. Our politics are inflamed, and social media only adds to the anxiety,” the ADL wrote on Musk’s social platform X. “It seems that @elonmusk made an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute, but again, we appreciate that people are on edge.”
Regardless of what it was or wasn’t, many believe it was indeed an intentional call back to Nazis, fascism, and Hitler. The fact that Musk recently put his support behind a far-right political party in Germany might also have something to do with it. As a result, two activist groups decided to do something a bit cheeky.
The two groups are ‘Led By Donkeys’ from the UK and the ‘Center for Political Beauty’ from Germany. The pair teamed up and projected Musk’s gesture with the word “Heil” onto Tesla Giga Berlin. The resulting image appears to show Musk on the left side of the building and the signage reads “Heil Tesla” in the car company’s signature font.
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The groups didn’t stop there though. They also projected “Boycott” in the same space as the word “Heil” so at times, the sign read “Boycott Tesla.” At this stage, it’s unclear what might happen to the protesters. Given their knack for exactly this sort of thing, and Germany’s laws surrounding the right to protest, it’s likely they will not face any legal repercussions.