- Elon Musk has started going after groups and individuals who protest Tesla.
- Musk accused one organizer of “committing crimes,” leaving her in fear for safety.
- While Tesla stores face multiple attacks, there have also been peaceful protests.
Protests against Tesla and Elon Musk have become a familiar sight across the country as many people have been outraged by his actions. However, given his outspoken nature, it’s not surprising that Musk is fighting back.
That brings us to the story of Valerie Costa, who co-founded a group known as the Troublemakers. NPR recently talked to her following a handful of tweets Elon Musk made about the group and Costa herself.
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In one, Musk claimed an “investigation” found that ActBlue had funded five groups involved in protesting Tesla including the Troublemakers. In another, he claimed “Costa is committing crimes” for her part in the Tesla Takedown movement.
This caught Costa by surprise as she told the publication they have no connection to ActBlue and only have around $3,000 in their bank account. She added, “I could tell you every single person who donated.”
While the group sounds like a small grassroots effort, Musk’s tweets unleashed a firestorm of his supporters. Some reportedly threatened physical violence, while others said they hope the government investigates Costa.
People typically don’t have to fear this for protesting, but Musk is a close ally of President Trump and the de facto leader of the Department of Government Efficiency. On top of that, Trump hasn’t been shy about having an axe to grind and using his position to do it.
With stakes like that, Costa tried to delete as much information about herself on the internet as possible and came up with a plan if authorities came knocking on her door. However, the fear lingers.
As she explained to NPR, “When one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful person in the world is saying you’ve committed a crime, it doesn’t matter what the truth is.”
While attacks against Tesla stores have been in the news lately, Tesla Takedown describes themselves as a “peaceful protest movement” that opposes “violence, vandalism and destruction of property.” They added it’s a “lawful exercise of our First Amendment right to peaceful assembly” and that’s something a so-called free speech absolutist should be able to understand.