Tesla Showrooms Targeted by Protests Against Elon Musk’s Government Role
SAN FRANCISCO — On Saturday, demonstrations against Elon Musk’s alleged dismantling of the U.S. government under President Trump took place outside Tesla dealerships across the United States and in some European cities. The protests represent a further effort to negatively impact the wealth of the world’s richest individual.
The protesters aim to intensify a movement targeting Tesla dealerships and vehicles. This opposition stems from Musk’s position as head of the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he has reportedly gained access to confidential data and closed down entire government bodies in an effort to reduce government spending. A significant portion of Musk’s estimated $340 billion net worth is comprised of stock in the electric vehicle company, which he continues to manage concurrently with his role in the Trump administration.
Previous demonstrations have been somewhat infrequent. Saturday’s coordinated effort marked the first time protesters attempted to gather at all 277 of the automaker’s U.S. showrooms and service centers, hoping to exacerbate a recent decline in the company’s sales.
By early afternoon, groups ranging from a few dozen to hundreds of protesters had assembled at Tesla locations in states including New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Maryland, Minnesota, and Tesla’s home state of Texas. Social media posts displayed demonstrators holding signs.
The Tesla Takedown movement also sought to mobilize protesters at over 230 Tesla locations globally. While European turnout was lower compared to the U.S., anti-Musk sentiments remained strong.
Approximately two dozen protesters stood outside a London Tesla dealership with signs criticizing Musk, as passing vehicles honked in support.
One sign displayed at the London protest featured a picture juxtaposing Musk with Adolf Hitler giving a Nazi salute—a gesture Musk has been accused of mirroring shortly after Trump’s inauguration on January 20. Another sign, held by a person dressed as a tyrannosaurus rex, showed Musk’s straight-arm gesture and read, “You thought the Nazis were extinct. Don’t buy a Swasticar.”
“We simply want to be loud, make noise, and raise public awareness of the issues we’re confronting,” stated Cam Whitten, an American who attended the London protest.
Tesla Takedown was organized by a coalition including dissatisfied Tesla owners, celebrities such as actor John Cusack, and Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett from Dallas.
“I will continue to speak out in Congress. I need you all to keep making noise in the streets,” Crockett urged during a Tesla Takedown organizing call earlier in the month.
Some opponents of Musk have resorted to arson and vandalism against Tesla vehicles, actions condemned as domestic terrorism by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. Musk expressed his bewilderment at these attacks during a company meeting on March 20, urging the perpetrators to “stop acting psycho.”
Crockett and other Tesla Takedown supporters have emphasized the importance of maintaining peaceful protests on Saturday.
However, police are investigating a fire that destroyed seven Tesla vehicles in northwestern Germany early Saturday morning. The cause of the fire, which was extinguished by firefighters, and whether it was linked to the Tesla Takedown protests, remain unclear.
An increasing number of consumers who purchased Tesla vehicles before Musk’s appointment to DOGE are seeking to sell or trade them in, while others are using bumper stickers to distance themselves from Musk’s efforts to reduce or eliminate government agencies.
Musk, however, appeared unfazed by the potential for a prolonged decline in new Tesla sales during his March 20 address to employees. He assured them that the refreshed Model Y would remain “the best-selling car on Earth again this year.” He also projected that Tesla will have sold over 10 million cars worldwide by next year, a significant increase from the current figure of approximately 7 million.
“There will be difficult moments, and times of trouble, but I am here to tell you that the future is incredibly bright and exciting,” Musk declared.
Following Trump’s election last November, investors initially viewed Musk’s alliance with the president as a positive development for Tesla and its ongoing efforts to create a self-driving car network.
This optimism boosted Tesla’s stock by 70% between Trump’s election on November 5 and his inauguration on January 20, resulting in an additional $560 billion in shareholder value. However, virtually all of these gains have been erased due to investor concerns about the backlash against Tesla, declining sales in the U.S., Europe, and China, and Musk’s time commitment to overseeing DOGE.
“This remains a critical moment for Musk to navigate this brand crisis and emerge from this difficult period for Tesla,” Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives wrote in a research note leading up to Saturday’s protests.
—The Associated Press reporters Mustakim Hasnath contributed from London and Stefanie Dazio contributed from Germany.
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