• Tesla plans to press charges against those damaging or vandalizing its charging stations.
  • Owners are facing similar acts of vandalism to their own private electric vehicles.
  • The automaker may need to intervene to help reduce the heat felt by its customers.

“We will press charges for vandalism at Superchargers,” says Tesla. Those are the first words from an automaker dealing with a spate of issues including protests, property damage, and more. What’s worse is that the brand can’t do anything for countless owners who have also suffered from the trend. That includes at least one Cybertruck defaced in Lower Manhattan with a swastika.

The last few months have seen the ire grow against Elon Musk and the electric brand he helms. Both customers and critics have open—and loudly—called for the public to ditch Tesla’s cars. On top of that, radical activists have threatened owners and vandalized vehicles as well as Supercharger stations. On Sunday, one Tesla owner found their local charging station with the word “Nazi” painted over the Tesla logo and a Swastika symbol at the bottom.

Read: TikTokers Are Hunting Cybertrucks With Anti-Musk Messages

“This graffiti at my local Supercharger would suggest that perhaps Elon Musk is damaging Tesla’s brand,” the poster wrote. Within just three hours, the official Tesla Supercharger account saw the post and responded, stating that the graffiti would be removed by the next morning. In fact, it went even further.

When another commenter pointed out a security camera that might have captured the vandal in the act, Tesla made it clear that it would press charges for such behavior. In fact, this was the second instance of vandalism it responded to within the past week. In another case, someone sprayed foam into the charging plugs at several Supercharger stations.

Targeting More Than Just Tesla Property

There’s a separate issue, though, as vandals aren’t only targeting Tesla property but private vehicles too. It’s unclear who owns the Cybertruck recently painted with a swastika in Lower Manhattan, but many people saw the vehicle and posted about it online. One person simply captioned their post, “Not a great car to own in NYC these days.”

More: We Compare The 2026 Tesla Model Y Side-By-Side With Its Predecessor

The threads about the angular pickup drew a mix of grim humor and political commentary including “Look, it’s the new SS package,” and “it draws the eyes away from the panel gaps.”

The humor was dark, but the implications were serious. No matter how one might feel about Musk or Tesla, it does appear that the groundswell of anger toward one or both is increasing. A recent poll made it clear that Musk’s popularity has swung wildly from one side of the aisle to the other over the last year. While Musk and Tesla could be well within their rights, there is little doubt at this point that public perception is shifting.

The Musk Effect on Tesla’s Brand

Since being brought on board Donald Trump’s administration as a Senior Advisor for the Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE), Musk has become an increasingly polarizing figure. His controversial statements, perceived ties to far-right ideologies, and alleged dog-whistle moments have fueled strong reactions which cause some critics to argue that Tesla’s brand is suffering not because of its cars but because of its CEO. 

The Cybertruck defacement and Supercharger vandalism highlight the volatile intersection of technology, politics, and public perception. With Musk at the helm, Tesla isn’t just an EV company – it’s a symbol in an increasingly divided conversation. One thing is clear though: the discourse around Tesla and Musk doesn’t look to be cooling down anytime soon.

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