- A group in California calling itself SANE vows to vandalize Teslas in hopes of shaming owners into selling them.
- The plan, reportedly released to local news organizations, includes damaging Teslas beginning on Feb 12.
- For now, it appears that the SANE group is quite small but this isn’t the first Tesla vandalism we’ve seen.
“Create enough shame to make it onerous for anyone to buy or operate a Tesla-branded vehicle.” That’s the mission statement of a group calling itself SANE for Students Against Nazi Extremists in California. How will they elicit such shame in their community? No, it’s not by telling owners how disappointed they are but resorting to violence, vowing to “inflict physical damage to Tesla-branded vehicles.” And according to them, it all begins today.
Read: Tesla Sales Crash Up To 63% In European Markets, Is Musk Or New Model Y To Blame?
So how did Tesla, a company that makes electric cars, become the target of an anti-Nazi movement? According to SANE, it all comes down to Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s political actions and public behavior. From supporting far-right groups in the USA and Germany itself to making gestures that some believe to be the Seig Heil he’s stirred up more than a bit of controversy. Now, the SANE group is ditching ideals like tolerance and love for bricks and damage. They call out Musk as “an overt Nazi with a history of fascist, racist, misogynist and criminal behavior.”
Threats, Bricks, and a Deadline
According to the Lost Coast Outpost , the group sent in a manifesto and took responsibility for leaving threats on at least 13 Teslas in California. The group, which allegedly has just ten members, plans to begin damaging cars on February 12 through the end of the month. In notes left on the cars in question, it demanded that the owners sell the cars by the 12th or face vandalism. It evidently didn’t have a plan for whoever the owner might sell the car to.
Local police have been tracking the threats for over a week. The City of Arcata released this statement:
“During the week of February 3, 2025, several Tesla owners residing in the City of Arcata reported discovering suspicious flyers left on their vehicles. The messaging implied a threat if the Tesla owners did not trade or sell their vehicles by February 12, 2025. On one occasion, the flyer was accompanied by a brick which was left on the vehicle’s windshield with the message, “No Nazis in America.”
Law enforcement is aware of this type of activity occurring in communities across the state and APD is monitoring this situation. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact APD, at 707-822-2424, or anonymously via the APD Crime Tip-Line, at 707-825-2558.”
More Than Just Arcata
Arcata is only one of four cities that SANE says it’s targeting. The others are Hayward, Seaside, and Rohnert Park. One resident targeted by the group sent a note to the Lost Coast Outpost in response to the threat left on their car wrapped in a brick.
“How ironic that this threat is directed at a community that overwhelmingly supports democratic ideals… In lieu of violence may I suggest the perpetrators donate to progressive causes, write postcards to encourage voting, call their political representatives in Congress, and support businesses engaged in fair practices. We are not the enemy and neither are our Teslas. In a final note of irony, I am of Jewish descent. Nazis indeed.”
SANE’s motivations may stem from political outrage—misplaced or otherwise—but their execution might not have the impact they’re hoping for. Musk-related protests and vandalism have already occurred worldwide, yet neither Tesla nor Musk has taken steps to de-escalate tensions. Regardless of their views on Musk, targeting private property is unlikely to win them any sympathy.