- Protests against Elon Musk span multiple countries, escalating from vandalism to arson.
- They include taking over dealerships, setting charging stations on fire, and sometimes guns.
- Musk attributes the unrest to left-wing political groups, but evidence remains unsubstantiated.
It seems that electric vehicle owners are increasingly stepping away from Tesla, with less support for Elon Musk than ever before. This might seem surprising, given Musk’s status as the face of Tesla and the electric vehicle movement itself. A recent study pointed out that not only do more people on the political right align with Musk these days, but his connection with EV owners is also growing colder.
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This shift in sentiment wouldn’t typically be a major deal, but Musk is no ordinary businessman—he’s the public face of Tesla, and his actions, both in business and politics, are sparking some serious unrest. Instead of staying in the safe zone of corporate leadership, Musk seems to have traded in his role as a CEO for that of a political lightning rod.
Protesters Are Taking Things Up a Notch
In the past few weeks, we’ve reported on several individual instances of protests against Musk. The assumed leader of the Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) has sparked widespread animosity due to his involvement in government work and his political leanings (both provable and theorized).
Individual Tesla owners have faced eggings, vandalism with stickers, further vandalism with spray paint, and countless threats to those unwilling to sell their car. Protesters have gone well beyond just targeting individual owners as well.
In some locations, they’ve put up projections that make Tesla’s own buildings into a protest sign. In other areas, they’ve shelled out cash to advertise against Tesla and Musk. Some individual dealerships and Tesla’s own Superchargers have dealt with worse though.
Charging Stations and Dealerships Under Fire
Charging stations across multiple states have become prime targets for vandals. Some have filled the ports with foam, completely severed the cords, tagged them with Nazi-centric graffiti, and even gone as far as setting them on fire. This arsonist behavior isn’t limited to charging stations, either.
It’s also happening at dealerships in both the USA and abroad. In one instance, a person fired several bullets into a dealership, damaging both Tesla’s stock and customers’ vehicles. What’s wild about all this is that the vast majority of these actions are carried out by individuals, not large groups. You’d think a few isolated incidents would die down quickly, but that’s clearly not the case. It seems to be fueling larger protests everywhere.
Group Protests
In New York City, protesters recently took over Tesla’s dealership in Manhattan. Police arrested six people in connection with the act, but supporters referred to it as “how we beat fascism.” In Chicago, a protest group marched supporters through the streets in an event called Take Down Tesla, Trump, and Tyranny. Several police officers lined up in front of the local Tesla dealership to protect it.
In doing so, they somewhat proved the protesters’ point. “Wonder if they’d protect my small business with that level of force? Oligarchy doing its thing,” one Reddit user commented, highlighting the power and influence Musk wields. In some rare instances, police have even gone so far as to protect individual vehicles.
Other protests have seen citizens in various cities standing on dealership corners holding signs. Calls from different groups are pushing for the spread and intensification of the protests, while Musk, it seems, is doing nothing.
Musk’s Thoughts
In Musk’s view, a larger force is driving these protests. Specifically, he claims that five ActBlue-funded groups are behind them. ActBlue, a left-leaning political organization, is funded by figures like “George Soros, Reid Hoffman, Herbert Sandler, Patricia Bauman, and Leah Hunt-Hendrix,” according to Musk.
To some extent, Musk predicted resistance to his work at DOGE long before Trump won the presidency. In a podcast, he mentioned that such a move would provoke a sharp reaction. “The antibody reaction would be very strong. You’re attacking the Matrix at that point. The Matrix will fight back.” Whether it’s the Matrix—or just genuinely angry people—is still up for debate.
It’s worth noting that while conspiracies do exist, there’s no evidence at this point linking ActBlue, or any other major political entity, to these protests. It’s tempting to blame inconvenient events on shadowy conspiracies, but it’s often harder to accept the reality of the situation. High-profile political figures like Bernie Sanders—who have no direct connection to ActBlue other than shared political leanings—have also publicly and directly called Musk out.
At this stage, it’s unclear whether what we’re witnessing is a purely grassroots movement against Musk, a sordid conspiracy, or a mix of both. What’s certain, however, is that people are angry at Musk and they’re taking it out on Tesla dealers and owners, most of whom have absolutely nothing to do with Musk, his actions, or his political leanings. They’re simply being hurt by association with the brand.
For once, it seems Elon might actually be powerless to do anything about it.