A fire at a Tesla retail and service center in Plaisance-du-Touch, near Toulouse, France, destroyed a dozen vehicles early Tuesday morning, with authorities suspecting arson amid global protests targeting the automaker.
Firefighters arrived at the scene around 4 a.m. and managed to contain the blaze to the vehicles. Eight Tesla cars were completely destroyed, while four others sustained significant damage, bringing total losses to an estimated 700,000 euros, according to local reports.
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Police suspect arson after discovering a hole in the facility’s fence and noting prior threats against the location. The Tesla store remained closed for the day as investigations continued.
The incident comes amid a wave of protests against Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, with anti-fascist groups in several countries demonstrating against the company.
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While some protests in France have remained peaceful, extremist factions have reportedly called for acts of vandalism, including arson, against Tesla locations. Authorities have yet to make any arrests, and the investigation is ongoing.
Source: Numerama
