Introduction to the Protests
Crowds protesting billionaire Elon Musk’s purge of the U.S. government under President Donald Trump began amassing outside Tesla dealerships throughout the U.S. and in some cities in Europe on Saturday in the latest attempt to dent the fortune of the world’s richest man.
The Reason Behind the Protests
The protesters are trying to escalate a movement targeting Tesla dealerships and vehicles in opposition to Musk’s role as the head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, where he’s gained access to sensitive data and shuttered entire agencies as he attempts to slash government spending. Most of Musk’s estimated $340 billion fortune consists of the stock he holds in the electric vehicle company that he continues to run while also working alongside Trump.
Previous Protests and Their Impact
Earlier protests have been somewhat sporadic. Saturday marked the first attempt to surround all 277 of the automaker’s showrooms and service centers in the U.S. in hopes of deepening a recent decline in the company’s sales.
Nationwide and International Protests
By early afternoon, crowds ranging from a few dozen to hundreds of protesters had flocked to Tesla locations in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Maryland, Minnesota and the automaker’s home state of Texas. Pictures posted on social media accounts showed protesters brandishing signs such as “Honk if you hate Elon” and “Fight the billionaire broligarchy.” Over in Florida, dozens of people gathered on both sides of the issues. In St. Petersburg, the topic of Tesla’s in general came up with people for and against DOGE.
International Support for the Protests
The Tesla Takedown movement also hoped to rally protestors at more than 230 Tesla locations in other parts of the world. Although the turnouts in Europe weren’t as large as the crowds in the U.S., the anti-Musk sentiment was similar. About two dozen protesters held signs lambasting Musk outside a Tesla dealership in London as passing cars and trucks tooted horns in support. One of the signs displayed at the London protest showed a photo of Musk next to an image of Adolf Hitler making the Nazi salute — a gesture that Musk has been accused of reprising shortly after Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration. A person in a tyrannosaurus rex costume held another sign with a picture of Musk’s straight-arm gesture that said, “You thought the Nazis were extinct. Don’t buy a Swasticar.”
Organizer’s Message
“We just want to get loud, make noise, make people aware of the problems that we’re facing,” said Cam Whitten, an American who showed up at the London protest. Tesla Takedown was organized by a group of supporters that included disillusioned owners of the automaker’s vehicles, celebrities such as actor John Cusack, and at least one Democratic Party lawmaker, Rep. Jasmine Crockett from Dallas.
Call to Action
“I’m going to keep screaming in the halls of Congress. I just need you all to make sure you all keep screaming in the streets,” Crockett said during a Tesla Takedown organizing call held earlier this month. Some people opposed to Musk have gone beyond protests and set the automaker’s vehicles on fire and committed other acts of vandalism that U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has decried as domestic terrorism. Musk indicated he was dumbfounded by the attacks during a March 20 company meeting and said the vandals should "stop acting psycho.”
Importance of Peaceful Protests
Crockett and other Tesla Takedown supporters have been stressing the importance for Saturday’s protests to remain peaceful. But police were investigating a fire that destroyed seven Tesla vehicles in northwestern Germany early Saturday morning. It was wasn’t immediately clear if the blaze, which was extinguished by firefighters, was related to the Tesla Takedown protests.
Consumer Backlash
A growing number of consumers who bought Tesla vehicles before Musk took over DOGE have been looking to sell or trade in their cars while others have slapped on bumper stickers seeking to distance themselves from the billionaire’s efforts to prune or shut down government agencies.
Musk’s Response to the Backlash
But Musk didn’t appear concerned about an extended slump in sales of new Tesla cars in his March 20 address to employees. He reassured the workers that the company’s Model Y, which is undergoing a refresh, would remain “the best-selling car on Earth again this year.” He also predicted Tesla will have sold more than 10 million cars worldwide by next year, up from about 7 million cars now. “There are times when there are rocky moments, where there is stormy weather, but what I am here to tell you is that the future is incredibly bright and exciting,” Musk said.
Market Impact
After Trump was elected last November, investors initially saw Musk’s alliance with the president as a positive development for Tesla and its long-running efforts to launch a network of self-driving cars. That optimism helped lift Tesla’s stock by 70% in the period between Trump’s Nov. 5 election and his Jan. 20 inauguration, creating an additional $560 billion in shareholder wealth. But virtually all those gains have evaporated amid investor worries about the Tesla backlash, lagging sales in the U.S., Europe and China, and Musk spending time overseeing DOGE.
Analyst’s Perspective
“This continues to be a moment of truth for Musk to navigate this brand tornado crisis moment and get onto the other side of this dark chapter for Tesla,” Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives said in a research note leading up to Saturday’s protests.
Conclusion
The protests against Elon Musk’s purge of the U.S. government and his role in DOGE have sparked a nationwide and international movement. The Tesla Takedown movement has brought attention to the concerns of many consumers and investors, and it remains to be seen how Musk and Tesla will navigate this crisis.
FAQs
Q: What is the Tesla Takedown movement?
A: The Tesla Takedown movement is a protest movement targeting Tesla dealerships and vehicles in opposition to Elon Musk’s role as the head of DOGE and his efforts to slash government spending.
Q: Why are people protesting against Elon Musk?
A: People are protesting against Elon Musk due to his role in DOGE and his efforts to prune or shut down government agencies, which has led to a decline in Tesla’s sales and a backlash from consumers and investors.
Q: How has the market reacted to the protests?
A: The market has reacted negatively to the protests, with Tesla’s stock price declining amid investor worries about the Tesla backlash and lagging sales.
Q: What is Elon Musk’s response to the protests?
A: Elon Musk has reassured employees that the company’s future is "incredibly bright and exciting" and has predicted that Tesla will have sold more than 10 million cars worldwide by next year.
