First Organized 'Tesla Takedown' Protests Erupt
Held Not Only in the US but Also Across Europe and Australia
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has been leading federal government restructuring as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under Donald Trump's second administration, amid which organized protests opposing Musk's actions have taken place.
On the 29th (local time), a protest condemning Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, took place near a Tesla store in Pasadena, California, USA. Protesters held signs comparing Musk to the German Nazis or criticizing Musk and engineers involved in government restructuring, with slogans such as "Muskrat." Photo by AFP Yonhap News
On the 29th (local time), US media outlets including CNN and AP reported that 'Tesla Takedown' protests were held in front of more than 200 Tesla stores across New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Maryland, Minnesota, and Texas. The protests were against policies led by Musk, the head of DOGE, including mass layoffs of federal employees and budget cuts.
Protesters numbering from dozens to hundreds held placards reading "Honk if you hate Elon," "Let's fight against the billionaire 'Broligarchy' (a neologism referring to a small group of wealthy men exerting excessive control or influence in politics)," and "Elon is not an elected official and has no authority to dismantle government programs that help the American people," while dancing to music.
On the 29th (local time), protesters dancing in front of the Tesla building in Seattle, USA, are demonstrating against Elon Musk. Screenshot from X (formerly Twitter)
In particular, about 200 people gathered in front of the Tesla showroom in San Francisco. The protest caused traffic congestion in the city, and the autonomous vehicle company Waymo experienced confusion as its driverless cars tried to avoid the crowds. At the protest held in Manhattan, New York, state legislator and New York mayoral candidate Joran Mamdani attended and shouted, "The richest man in the world has bought off the US president."
Foreign media reported that previous protests had been somewhat sporadic, but this protest was the first attempt to surround all 277 Tesla showrooms and service centers. Across from the protesters, some Trump supporters waved American flags in opposition.
The British Guardian reported that protests took place worldwide, starting in Australia and spreading to Finland, Norway, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. About 20 people gathered in front of the Tesla store in London, and passing cars honked in support.
The protest organizers also urged people to sell Tesla vehicles and stocks as a form of protest against Musk. Since most of Musk's wealth comes from Tesla stock, the goal is to weaken his economic base by reducing Tesla's sales. However, the organizers emphasized caution regarding any destructive acts against Tesla. The group stated, "We are a nonviolent grassroots resistance movement," and stressed, "We oppose violence and property destruction. Peaceful protests on public property are not domestic terrorism."
Earlier, as attacks targeting Tesla vehicles as a form of protest against Musk continued, President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi warned that they would respond strongly, likening such acts to domestic terrorism. Meanwhile, despite the backlash, Musk remains optimistic about Tesla's future. He expressed confidence that the Model Y will remain the world's best-selling vehicle this year and emphasized continued growth.
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