Reports of violence and protest have targeted Tesla locations across the United States amid the growing controversy surrounding CEO Elon Musk’s increasing influence in the Trump administration.
Tesla dealerships and charging stations have been targeted in several incidents this week. Charging stations near Boston were set ablaze and a Tesla dealership in Oregon was shot at. In Lower Manhattan, protesters were arrested at a demonstration outside a Tesla dealership on Saturday, marking the latest expressions of public unrest.
The wave of backlash, which began more than seven weeks following President Trump’s second inauguration, is a direct response to Mr. Musk’s appointment as a senior adviser and his subsequent actions advocating for sweeping cuts to federal agencies. These changes, led by Mr. Musk, have been implemented through a new initiative he has named the Department of Government Efficiency.
During the Manhattan protest, demonstrators chanted slogans such as “Nobody voted for Elon Musk” and “Oligarchs out, democracy in.” One protester’s sign read, “Send Musk to Mars Now!!” (a reference to Mr. Musk’s ownership of SpaceX). Protesters blocked entrances to the dealership, effectively shutting it down for several hours.
