Tesla showrooms across the globe were the focal point of coordinated protests on Saturday, March 29, as activists took to the streets to voice opposition to CEO Elon Musk’s involvement in the US government’s “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE). The protests, which took place in the US, Europe, New Zealand, and other regions, aimed to pressure consumers into boycotting Tesla by selling stock and avoiding the purchase of electric vehicles (EVs).
The demonstrations were sparked by Musk’s controversial actions as head of DOGE, a role that has seen him slash federal budgets and oversee significant layoffs of government workers. The global day of action saw more than 200 planned events, with protesters descending on Tesla dealerships in states across the US as well as New Zealand, Australia, the UK, Germany, France, Denmark, Ireland, and other EU nations.
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“We’re here to protest Musk, who has essentially held a Tesla car show on the White House lawn,” said Sophie Sheperd, a New York-based protester, speaking to The Guardian. “We want to disrupt his business as much as possible, so that includes all Teslas, not just the Cybertruck.”
In Bristol, UK, another protester shared their sentiments with the BBC: “If we can just put one or two people off buying a Tesla today, it will help spread the message and push his stock further down, hopefully giving Elon and other billionaires the pause to think twice about what they’re doing.”
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The protests, which have become a regular occurrence since Musk’s controversial entry into the US government, have ranged from peaceful demonstrations to more extreme acts, including vandalism and arson. In northwestern Germany, seven Tesla vehicles were destroyed in a fire, which authorities are investigating. Musk reportedly addressed such incidents at a company meeting in March, urging vandals to “stop acting psycho.” Some of these actions have been labeled as domestic terrorism by the US government.
The official Tesla Takedown group, however, distanced itself from such extreme actions. “We are a non-violent grassroots protest movement. We oppose violence and destruction of property. Peaceful protest on public property is not domestic terrorism,” the group stated.
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The protests are part of a broader movement against Tesla, spurred by both political concerns and economic pressures. Earlier this week, Canada announced it would block Tesla from participating in EV rebate programs amid rising US tariffs on imported vehicles. Meanwhile, a mass sell-off of Tesla stock has seen the company’s share price drop by more than 50% since December 2024.
Source: cbsnews.com, bbc.co.uk, theguardian.com