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Tesla Takedown

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Tesla Takedown
Part of Protests against the second presidency of Donald Trump
Protest at a Tesla store in Columbus, Ohio, in February 2025
DateFebruary 3, 2025 (2025-02-03)–present
Location
International, primarily United States
Caused byPolitical activities of Elon Musk and 2025 United States federal mass layoffs
GoalsTo economically damage Tesla and Elon Musk and to impact his political influence
MethodsDemonstrations, boycotts, shareholder activism
StatusOngoing
Parties
Demonstrators
Lead figures
Casualties
Arrested9
This article is part of
a series about
Elon Musk
Personal
Companies
Politics
In popular culture
Related
Elon Musk's signature

The "Tesla Takedown" is a protest movement that arose in early 2025 targeting Tesla, Inc. and its CEO, Elon Musk.[1] Protesters have organized demonstrations at Tesla stores across the United States and Europe and urged the public to divest from Tesla by selling their vehicles and shares of Tesla stock. The decentralized movement's goal is to economically impact Musk and challenge his political influence.[2]

Background

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The movement arose in response to Musk's involvement in US President Donald Trump's administration, which includes Musk's role in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and in the 2025 United States federal mass layoffs.[3] Musk serves as an advisor[citation needed] to the Trump administration and is the leader of DOGE. DOGE's purpose is to carry out Trump's agenda of federal spending cuts and deregulation, and, according to the order that established it, to "modernize federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity".[4][5][6]

First demonstrations

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A protestor in Columbus, Ohio, in early February 2025

On February 3, protesters gathered outside the Office of Personnel Management and indicated that they would continue to protest for the rest of the week in opposition to DOGE and Musk. The protestors said that Musk had illegally taken control of the government's infrastructure,[7] and raised concerns that Musk was an unelected foreign national who was potentially stealing sensitive information stored in federal computer servers.[8]

On February 5, a rally was held in front of the Treasury Department, organized by word of mouth and social media, with initially 50 participants that grew into hundreds. Participants included federal workers, retirees and others who were alarmed and angry over Musk and DOGE's actions and its trajectory, chanting "Elon Musk has to go" and signs reading "No Trump, No Musk, No Fascist USA" and "Musk owns Trump". Democratic politicians including Senator Chuck Schumer, Senator Chris Van Hollen, and Representative Maxine Waters spoke at the protest.[9][10]

Mobilization

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March 8, 2025 in Rockville, Maryland

Actor Alex Winter started amplifying on Bluesky after speaking with sociologist Joan Donovan, who suggested a Tesla protest.[11] Efforts for the initial round of protests were coordinated via the social media hashtags #TeslaTakedown and #TeslaTakover.[12]

Around February 15, 2025, protestors appeared at Tesla showrooms in numerous cities in the US. One of the larger protests was outside Tesla's Manhattan showroom, where protestors could be heard chanting "Elon Musk can go to Mars; we don't need your Nazi cars" referring to the Elon Musk salute controversy and Musk's support for Alternative for Germany and "Burn a Tesla: Save Democracy". Protests also took place in San Francisco, Berkeley, Minneapolis, and Kansas City among others. Musician Sheryl Crow posted to social media a video showing a flatbed truck removing a Tesla she had sold in protest.[13]

Hundreds appeared at a San Francisco showroom on February 19. Workers included Hai Binh Nguyen, who lamented the halting of her work at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau where she takes action against unfair business practices. Protestors also expressed concerns that government services would be privatized and sold off to billionaires.[14]

At an early March protest in New York City, nine individuals were arrested during a demonstration at a Tesla store.[15][16] Hundreds protested outside a store in Owings Mills, Maryland.[17] A protest occurred in Superior, Colorado.[18] Similar protests occurred in cities like Jacksonville, Florida, and Tucson, Arizona, where participants carried signs with slogans such as "Burn a Tesla: Save Democracy."[19]

Vandalism

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While the protests themselves are peaceful, vandals have targeted Tesla property since Tesla Takedown activities started. A Tesla store in Loveland, Colorado, was vandalized multiple times in late January and February. In Salem, Oregon, on January 20, witnesses stated that Molotov cocktails were thrown at the Tesla store sparking two fires doing an estimated half million in damages. Then, on February 19, the windows were damaged by bullets at the Salem Tesla store. On March 2, twelve Teslas were set on fire at a store in Toulouse, France, destroying eight vehicles and damaging four. Seven Tesla charging stations were set on fire near Boston on March 3. On March 6, at least seven shots were fired at a Tesla store in Tigard, Oregon.[20][21][22]

Response

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Donald Trump said he would class people who vandalize Tesla cars or trucks as domestic terrorists.[23] Trump also arranged a promotional press briefing featuring a number of Tesla vehicles and Musk, claiming he would buy a Tesla.[23]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Anti-DOGE protests at Tesla stores target Elon Musk's bottom line". AP News. March 2, 2025. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  2. ^ Hawkins, Andrew J. (February 25, 2025). "'Tesla Takedown' wants to hit Elon Musk where it hurts". The Verge. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  3. ^ Rubin, April (February 28, 2025). "What to know about the #TeslaTakedown movement targeting Elon Musk and DOGE". Axios. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  4. ^ Madeline, Ngo; Schleifer, Theodore (January 21, 2025). "How Trump's Department of Government Efficiency Will Work". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  5. ^ "Establishing And Implementing The President's "Department Of Government Efficiency"". The White House. January 21, 2025. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
  6. ^ "Establishing and Implementing the President's "Department of Government Efficiency"" (PDF). Federal Register. 90 (14). Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration: 8441–8442. January 29, 2025.
  7. ^ Music, Morgan (February 3, 2025). "Protestors Plan for Week-Long Anti-Elon Musk Protests to Warn Others of His 'Illegal Decisions': 'Stop the Coup'". Latin Times. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  8. ^ Mayes-Osterman, Cybele (February 3, 2025). "'Fork off': Protesters gather outside OPM to condemn Elon Musk 'stealing' personal data". USA TODAY. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  9. ^ Bensen, Jackie (February 5, 2025). "Federal workers protest over DOGE access to Treasury Department Data". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  10. ^ Guldogan, Diyar (February 5, 2025). "Hundreds gather in US capital to protest Elon Musk's government influence". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
  11. ^ Bacon, Auzinea (March 1, 2025). "'Tesla Takedown' protesters gather outside showrooms to rally against Elon Musk's role with DOGE". CNN. Retrieved March 4, 2025.
  12. ^ "Protesters demonstrate outside Tesla showrooms in US". Ars Technica. Financial Times. February 17, 2025. Retrieved March 4, 2025.
  13. ^ Davis, Wes (February 15, 2025). "'TeslaTakeover' protests are small, but numerous". The Verge. Retrieved February 16, 2025.
  14. ^ Burke, Molly. "'It's maddening': Federal workers in S.F. protest Trump, Musk cutbacks". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on February 20, 2025. Retrieved February 25, 2025.
  15. ^ Reyes, Anissa (March 2, 2025). "Nine people arrested at anti-Musk protest outside of NYC Tesla dealership". WSET. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  16. ^ Lambert, Fred (March 2, 2025). "Tesla store gets taken over by Musk protesters, 9 people arrested". Electrek. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  17. ^ Holliday, Eileen (March 2, 2025). "Hundreds protest Elon Musk, Donald Trump outside Tesla dealership in Owings Mills". The Baltimore Banner. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  18. ^ "Hundreds gather at Superior Tesla dealership to protest Elon Musk's DOGE involvement". Denver 7 Colorado News (KMGH). March 2, 2025. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  19. ^ Munoz, Eduardo. "Nine arrested at New York Tesla dealership as anti-Musk protests break out". Reuters.
  20. ^ Isidore, Chris. "'Tesla faces vandalism and protests amid backlash against Elon Musk'". CNN. Retrieved March 9, 2025.
  21. ^ "'Oregon Tesla dealership shot at; damaged by gunfire, shattered glass'". USA Today. Retrieved March 9, 2025.
  22. ^ "'Tesla sites hit by arson amid DOGE cuts, Elon Musk backlash'". The Independent. Retrieved March 9, 2025.
  23. ^ a b "Trump vows to label Tesla vandals as 'domestic terrorists'". The Independent. March 11, 2025. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
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