Media: Global anti-Musk protests to hit 200+ Tesla locations, calling for boycott and action

Today, on March 29, protests are scheduled at more than 200 Tesla showrooms worldwide, marking the largest event in a series of ongoing demonstrations.

Dubbed Tesla Takedown's Global Day of Action, the protests aim to send a clear message to the U.S. government about Elon Musk's influence, Caliber.Az reports, citing The Guardian.

Organizers have pointed to Musk's actions, including his involvement in federal government initiatives, layoffs at Tesla, and controversial public statements, as reasons for their opposition.

Vickie Mueller Olvera, an organizer of the Tesla Takedown protests in the Bay Area, criticized Musk as an "unelected super-billionaire" whose actions are undermining democracy. "Nobody voted for this, and nobody voted for Elon," Olvera stated. Tesla Takedown describes itself as a grassroots, decentralized movement against Musk’s impact on public services, particularly through his leadership at Tesla and his role in what critics have called the "department of government efficiency" (Doge), a government initiative Musk heads.

Protesters are calling for three main actions: boycotting Tesla products, selling off Tesla stock, and joining the growing protest movement. Despite the increasing scale of the protests, Musk has not publicly responded to the rallies. On X, the social media platform he owns, he defended his government work, claiming it was aimed at improving efficiency.

The protests have coincided with a downturn in Tesla's financial performance, with stock prices falling more than 35% since Trump's inauguration, and resale values of used Teslas plummeting. Musk’s net worth has dropped by $100 billion, a 25% decline. Some Tesla owners have even sold their cars in protest following Musk's controversial speech during Trump’s inauguration, which included gestures critics likened to Nazi salutes.

Earlier this month, Trump and Musk appeared together at the White House, showcasing Tesla vehicles. Trump praised the cars and promised to buy one, while also condemning the protests. He vowed to treat any violence against Tesla showrooms as domestic terrorism.

The Tesla Takedown movement, which started in mid-February, has gained momentum, with protests cropping up in various U.S. cities. Demonstrators have been using social media to share photos of small rallies, often displaying signs that portray Musk in a negative light, including comparisons to Nazis and messages such as “Diabolical Oligarchs Gaslighting Everyone” and “No Swastikars,” a nickname for Teslas used by some protesters.

By Khagan Isayev