Tesla has been getting a lot of attention lately, little of it positive, as multiple protests have popped up and global sales have hit a rough patch. It’s still too early to link all of Tesla’s sales struggles to CEO Elon Musk’s political involvement, but the protests certainly are. More people took to the streets outside Tesla dealerships over the weekend, intensifying their efforts to raise awareness of Musk’s ultra-controversial politics.
Protesters showed up in New York and several other cities, leading Musk to post on X that he had identified Democratic party-linked funding entities led by George Soros, Netflix founder Reid Hoffman, and others behind the demonstrations. He called out ActBlue, a significant Democratic funding machine, as a culprit.
It’s unlikely that protesters are being paid to demonstrate, but it’s clear they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. The automaker’s facilities have been graffitied, and some charging station fires have been reported. Organizers call the event “Tesla Takedown,” and the protests have been large enough to draw law enforcement attention, with six arrests in NYC over the weekend.
Tesla owners have also reported vandalism, with at least 10 reports of cars being splashed with paint, painted with swastikas, and more. It’s not always easy or straightforward to get rid of a car on a whim, however, leading many owners to buy bumper stickers that let others know how they feel about Musk.
[Images: Chris Allan, Phil Pasquini via Shutterstock]
Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter.
