--- title: "Wave of Vandalism and Protests Hit Tesla" description: "Tesla has been targeted with a wave of vandalism and protests as Elon Musk continues to wreak havoc in the federal government." date: "2025-02-11" modified: "2025-02-11" authors: - name: "Frank Landymore" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/flandymore" url: "https://futurism.com/wave-vandalism-protest-tesla" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Future Society" - "Tesla" tags: - "doge" - "elon musk" - "tesla" --- # Wave of Vandalism and Protests Hit Tesla ![Tesla has been targeted with a wave of vandalism and protests as Elon Musk continues to wreak havoc in the federal government.]() *\Image: Tesla / Futurism\* ## Vox Populi Being the hatchetman for the Trump administration has made Elon Musk a more controversial figure than ever — and the people are letting him know it: across the globe, protestors are vandalizing cars made by Tesla, Musk's automaker and his largest cash cow. One of the latest incidents occurred on Friday, when a Tesla dealership in Colorado was [vandalized with spray paint](), with red Xs defacing the windshields of vehicles like the Cybertruck. Police said that there was even an arson attempt, and have requested that the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives get involved. The phenomenon is also strikingly international, mirroring Tesla's [plummeting global sales](). Earlier this month, a Tesla showroom in the Hague [was vandalized]() with anti-Nazi imagery and messages. A group of activists in Germany, meanwhile, [projected the word "Heil" along with Musk's Nazi salute]() on the exterior of Tesla's Berlin gigafactory. Some of the acts of vandalism [seem pretty spontaneous](). But in other cases, Musk's detractors are getting organized. Demonstrations have sprung up across the US, rallying against what critics argue is Musk's [unconstitutional gutting of federal agencies]() through his so-called Department of Government Efficiency. Over the weekend, well over 1,000 San Diegans [marched against Musk and Trump](), voicing cries that "Nazis have to go" — the city's third such protest that week. The demonstration was primarily to rail against the Trump administration, but the anti-Musk sentiment was just as strong. "The people will not bend down and let Elon Musk ravish the treasury and destroy regulations meant to protect the people," one protestor shouted through a megaphone, [per ]()*[The San Diego Tribune]().* And there's been no shortage of demonstrations specifically targeting the president's "First Buddy." On Saturday, over fifty people attended a protest outside a Tesla dealership in Southern California, with one protestor [telling *KSBY*]() that Musk "is shredding our democracy." That same weekend, about thirty people crowded outside a Tesla showroom in Manhattan, organized by an activist group called Rise and Resist, there to protest Musk and Trump's "administrative coup." "We were upset with Musk taking over the government," one of the organizers [told *amNewYork*](). Incidents like these show that while Musk himself may seem impervious to the outcry — considering he did two Nazi salutes and is still Trump's right-hand man — his behavior and parroting of far-right politics can blow back on his businesses. Sales at Tesla have faltered in part [due to the negativity surrounding Musk](), who's inextricable from the automaker's image. Several countries, including [Poland]() and [Canada](), have called for boycotting the automaker or targeting it with tariffs. A lot of Musk's personal fortune is tied up in Tesla stock, and so there may come a point when he starts to feel actual, material consequences. At any rate, we feel that now's a good time to invoke a [favorite slogan of Musk](): Vox Populi, Vox Dei. The people, it seems, have spoken. **More on Elon Musk:** *[Elon Musk Makes Huge Bid to Seize Control of OpenAI]()* ## Author At Futurism, my work has often centered on bringing a sense of clarity and insight to complex topics ranging from the regulation of emerging technologies to the esoteric ideologies of Silicon Valley executives, while striving not to lose the poetic sense of awe inspired by often-obscure fields like astrophysics and quantum computing. I broke the story of CNET using AI to produce articles that turned out to be riddled with factual errors and plagiarism — a dam-breaking inflection point, as I've reported, that's inspired copycats and endless discourse while beguiling stakeholders ranging from tech giants to purveyors of spam around the web. My work at Futurism has been cited by publications including CBS News, the Los Angeles Times, Vice, Gizmodo, Engadget, the Verge, and Vanity Fair. I grew up in locales ranging from India to China, and now live in the exotic suburbs of Virginia. In my free time, I'm an avid reader of weird sci-fi literature, an aficionado of East Asian cinema, and, regrettably, a relapsed gamer. Allegedly, I’m working on a debut novel, currently untitled. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()