Protesters appeared outside the Tesla showroom and service center in the North Hollywood area of Los Angeles on Saturday, March 15, 2025.
Richard Vogel/AP
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Richard Vogel/AP
Tesla facilities around the world have been targeted for protests against Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s influential role in the Trump administration. This weekend, organizers who have led peaceful protests in recent weeks are staging what they hope to be their biggest day.
Hundreds of non-violent demonstrations are scheduled to take place across the US on Saturday as part of the “Tesla Takedown” campaign. Organizers aim to have 500 protests around the world, calling it the “Global Day of Action.”
For weeks, movement organizers have encouraged people to boycott EV makers by selling Tesla cars and stocks. According to Tesla Takedown, thousands of grassroots groups and individuals around the world are fostering decentralized efforts.
Tesla Takedown organizers say the movement is fueled by rage over the federal slash of Musk, which aims to strike the billionaire, the electric car company whose main source of wealth is his main source of wealth.
Joel Lava, who has led the Tesla Takedown protest in Los Angeles, says Musk’s work to dismantle government agencies and workforce through an informally appointed Doge initiative is a major motivation for members of the movement.
“He’s led by Doge, who is leading the destruction of our country. He’s literally destroying our country’s infrastructure,” Lava said. “Therefore we are looking directly at his power, Tesla, which is his wealth.”
Musk’s critics point to many other complaints, including him Attack on diversitygestures he made on the stage of the inauguration day, which was widely interpreted as a Nazi salute, and his support for the far-right party.
Musk and the White House did not respond to NPR’s request for comment.
Tesla sales have collapsed since the Musk political shift Investors are worried. However, market analysts question how well Tesla’s sales and stock DIP can lock into CEO behavior. Tesla has lost market share of its EV competitors over the years. Stocks then fell in anticipation of car prices. However, the Trump administration’s recent announcement of 25% import duties on cars outside the US can welcome the stock price. Automotive industry analysts say Tesla is the least affected by tariffs among the domestic automakers.
Some of the anti-muscular repulsions were violent. Tesla vehicles, dealers, charging stations and charging stations all over the United States In Europe It was a target for arson and vandalism. Some spraypaking Swastika on Tesla Sedans and CyberTrucks.
The Tesla Takedown Movement, organizers, say participants are exercising their right to protest peacefully and oppose violence and the destruction of property.
But Musk didn’t make that distinction when he chased Valerie Costa, a community activist who helped organize a recent peaceful protest in the Seattle area as part of a Tesla Takedown demonstration.
Musk accused Costa of “convicting a crime” in X’s post earlier this month without giving evidence or specific allegations. That came after the environmental activist group she co-founded claimed it was backed by Actblue, a fundraising platform for the Democrats.
Costa told NPR that the charges were false and that Musk’s supporters have since targeted her with direct messages that included threats of physical violence.
“When one of the most powerful people in the world says you’ve committed a crime, it doesn’t matter what the truth is,” Costa said.
Tesla Takedown Organizer wants to cut down the power of the mask, starting with damaging the Tesla brand.
“I just like Trump [Musk] Because he’s rich, “Lava, an LA-based organizer, said, “If Musk suddenly becomes a boring, low-end billionaire, Trump will throw him out too.”
