Global protests hit Tesla showrooms over Musk’s alleged budget cut role Video

Thousands of people worldwide staged protests against Tesla CEO, billionaire Elon Musk and his alleged collaboration with Donald Trump to dismantle the US federal government. 

Demonstrations took place on March 29 in front of Tesla showrooms across the United States and internationally, as protestors sought to target Musk’s wealth as the CEO of the electric vehicle manufacturer, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

The coordinated effort, dubbed the "Tesla Takedown" movement, encouraged people to boycott Tesla products, sell their Tesla stock, and join the protests. One of the campaign’s slogans reads: “Hurting Tesla is stopping Musk. Stopping Musk will help save lives and our democracy.”

With over 200 planned events globally, protests began in Australia and New Zealand before spreading to Europe, with rallies held in Finland, Norway, Denmark, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and the UK. Each location had its own unique themes, such as “Smash the Fash” in Ireland and “Down with Doge” in Switzerland. The movement shared images on social media of demonstrators rallying in key locations, including San Jose, California, and Austin, Texas, Tesla’s current headquarters.

Musk, the world’s richest person, is at the helm of the so-called "department of government efficiency" (Doge), a body reportedly responsible for cutting US federal budgets and laying off thousands of workers. However, in a recent interview, Musk stated: "Almost no one has gotten fired." His actions targeting departments such as the Social Security Administration, the Department of Education, and the National Park Service have sparked widespread criticism. Musk and Tesla have not responded to requests for comment.

In San Francisco, approximately 200 people gathered outside a Tesla showroom, with demonstrators spilling onto the street and disrupting traffic. A boombox blared We’re Not Gonna Take It by Twisted Sister, while passing cars, buses, and even fire trucks honked in support. Protesters held signs reading slogans such as "Burn your swastikar before it burns you" and "No Doge bags," while others waved inverted American flags. The Tesla showroom itself was reportedly emptied of vehicles, with only security guards and San Francisco police stationed nearby.

In Berkeley, California, Tesla has reportedly closed its showroom every Saturday for the past month in response to weekly protests. Demonstrators there have included a mariachi band and a spray-painted cardboard Cybertruck. Earlier this month, red paint was splattered on the showroom’s front door.

Similar protests occurred in New York City, where several hundred people gathered outside Tesla’s Manhattan showroom. Sophie Shepherd, 23, an organizer with Planet Over Profit, emphasized that the protest was not against electric cars but against Musk’s influence over the government.

“We’re here to protest Musk, who has essentially held a Tesla car show on the White House lawn,” she said. “We want to disrupt his business as much as possible, so that includes all Teslas, and not just the Cybertruck.”

Marty, an 82-year-old protester, reflected on his activism: “In the 1960s, I protested the Vietnam War. Now, it’s the overthrow of our country by oligarchs. The rally is a message to ‘this guy Elon who is buying our government.’”

Law enforcement in New York is currently searching for two suspects accused of vandalizing a Tesla Cybertruck by carving “Nazis” and a swastika into its doors. The incident is part of a growing trend of attacks on Tesla vehicles and facilities since Trump’s return to office. Across the US, several Tesla locations have reportedly been vandalized with graffiti, gunfire, and Molotov cocktails.

Trump has vowed to classify attacks on Tesla dealerships as domestic terrorism, while Tesla Takedown organizers have denounced such violence.

“We are a non-violent grassroots protest movement,” the group stated. “We oppose violence and destruction of property. Peaceful protest on public property is not domestic terrorism.”

In London, dozens of demonstrators assembled outside a Tesla showroom along the A40.

“Musk is hugely abhorrent. He is funding the far right, and meaning that any Republicans who speak out end up not being funded in their next election,” said gay rights campaigner Nigel Warner.

Louise Cobbett-Witten, who has family in the US, expressed solidarity with American protestors. “There is real solace in coming together like this. Everyone has to do something. We haven’t got a big strategy besides just standing on the side of the street, holding signs and screaming.”

Manissa Maharawal, an assistant professor at American University who has studied anti-tech protests, commented on the movement’s significance. “For there to be a nationwide and global protest saying ‘no one’s coming to save us’ just speaks to the level of anger and desperation right now.”

Tesla Takedown organizers maintain that they will continue their demonstrations against Musk, Trump, and Doge. Their website reiterates their resolve, stating that “the stakes are high, and no one is coming to save us.”

By Aghakazim Guliyev