Boston: Demonstrators gathered outside Tesla stores across the United States on Saturday to protest the automaker’s billionaire CEO, Elon Musk, and his efforts to support President Donald Trump’s push to slash government spending. The protests are part of a growing backlash in North America and Europe against Musk’s disruptive influence in Washington.
Critics of Trump and Musk aim to discourage and stigmatize Tesla purchases, targeting the world’s most valuable automaker. Liberal groups have organized weeks of anti-Tesla protests, hoping to galvanize opposition to Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and energize Democrats still reeling from Trump’s November election victory.
"We can get back at Elon," said Nathan Phillips, a 58-year-old ecologist from Newton, Massachusetts, who protested in Boston on Saturday. "We can inflict direct economic damage on Tesla by showing up at showrooms everywhere, boycotting Tesla, and urging others to sell their stocks and Teslas."
Musk has been following Trump’s directives to cut federal spending and reduce the workforce, claiming Trump’s victory gave them a mandate to restructure the U.S. government. DOGE officials have quickly accessed sensitive databases, implemented thousands of federal job cuts, canceled contracts, and shut down sections of the government, including the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Critics argue that Musk’s actions undermine Congress’s authority over the U.S. budget and create opportunities for him to enrich himself. Musk leads several other companies, including SpaceX, which conducts launches for NASA and the intelligence community, and the social media platform X.
Tesla and the White House did not respond to requests for comment on Saturday.
More than 50 demonstrations were listed on the website Tesla Takedown, with additional protests planned across the U.S., as well as in England, Spain, and Portugal, later in March. Recent protests have been reported in cities like Tucson, Arizona; St. Louis; New York City; Dayton, Ohio; Charlotte; and Palo Alto, California.
Some Tesla owners have also reported their vehicles being vandalized with swastikas, amid growing concerns from Jewish groups and observers about a rise in antisemitism. Federal prosecutors charged a woman in connection with vandalism at a Colorado Tesla dealership, which included Molotov cocktails thrown at vehicles and the phrase "Nazi cars" spray-painted on the building.
Saturday’s protest in Boston had a festive atmosphere, with a brass band playing music as demonstrators carried signs and chanted. Some signs mocked Musk and DOGE, with one reading: "Stop Elon and his despicable Muskrats."
"This government led by Trump and Musk has gone completely off the rails, and we are here to stop that," said Carina Campovasso, a retired federal worker. "And I hope they listen."
About 300 protesters demonstrated at a Tesla dealership in New York City on Saturday. Police reported that nine people were taken into custody but did not specify the charges.
Tesla’s share price has dropped by nearly a third since Trump took office, though it remains higher than a year ago. According to Forbes, Musk’s current net worth is estimated at $359 billion, with his 2024 net worth calculated at $195 billion.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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