Tesla Troubles: The Fury Against Elon Musk Directed Towards Teslas - Not Just Yet
- by Eugen Epp Goes Off
- 3 Min
- Unrest toward Musk escalates, manifesting in Tesla vehicles: Anger boils over
For quite a while, a Tesla was a badge of honor - one that owners proudly rolled around town and was admired by fellow drivers. That was, until Elon Musk transformed from just an eccentric billionaire with brilliant ideas into the most influential supporter of Donald Trump and his push to make America even more polarized.
Plenty who once idolized him have since abandoned Musk. For some, he's become a bogeyman, and for some, he and his company are even emblems of a societal transformation that must be fought against, by force if necessary. In the United States, attacks on Tesla dealerships are on the rise, and some Tesla owners are now uneasy about their safety.
Three Suspects Bust for Tesla Assaults
Since Donald Trump's election as US President, there've almost been a dozen assaults on Tesla vehicles and locations. In some cases, it was relatively harmless vandalism, like graffiti on the cars. But it didn't stop there. In Seattle, Kansas City, and Las Vegas, vehicles at Tesla dealerships were set ablaze — arson is suspected. In other incidents, shots were fired.
The Justice Department is clamping down. Three suspects arrested for fires in Colorado, Oregon, and South Carolina will face charges, announced Attorney General Pamela Bondi. A woman is charged with throwing Molotov cocktails at vehicles at a Tesla dealer in January and February. The damage is approximated to be around $5,000. Two men are charged with setting Teslas alight and defacing them with graffiti or shooting at the cars.
According to the Justice Department, they face prison sentences of between 5 and 20 years. Similar to Trump before her, Attorney General Bondi spoke of "domestic terrorism." Although there've been no injuries or fatalities so far, various extremism experts told NPR that the charge of domestic terrorism could indeed be justified. The FBI warned against considering the actions as "justified."
Tesla Owners Fear for Their Own Safety
Among private Tesla owners, there's a heightened concern that the wave of anger could eventually turn on them. In police circles, it's assumed that it's only a matter of time before someone gets hurt in these protests. According to reports from US media, private data of Tesla owners was being circulated on a now-removed website, including names and addresses. On the site vandalism was encouraged in "creative forms of protest." If Tesla owners can prove they've sold their vehicles, their information will be taken down from the site.
True, many Tesla owners are ditching their cars and seeking alternatives — whether in backlash against Elon Musk, due to safety concerns, or for other reasons. According to the U.S. news site "Newsweek," Teslas are currently the most commonly offered used cars online. In 2022 to date, Tesla vehicles from the 2017 model year and onward accounted for 1.4% of all trade-ins at dealerships, according to a statistic from U.S. automotive market analyst Edmunds. In March 2021, this figure was 0.4%. The sense of no longer feeling secure in one's vehicle may accelerate this trend.
Elon Musk: "They're Trying to Kill Me"
Elon Musk attributes the attacks on Tesla vehicles to the Democrats. "They basically want to kill me because I'm stopping their corruption," the billionaire claimed in an interview with Fox News. "They want to hurt Tesla because we're ending the waste and corruption in government." Musk added, "The level of violence and hate from the left is shocking to me.”
Teslas are also becoming targets in Europe. In Berlin last week, four Teslas caught fire within half an hour, with the state protection agency taking up the investigation. In February, two Tesla electric vehicles were set alight in Dresden, with the police investigating on suspicion of arson. In an auto dealership in Toulouse, a dozen Tesla vehicles were also torched.
These attacks have been driven by several factors:
- Political Dissatisfaction: Plenty of folks are royally ticked off at Elon Musk's political affiliations, especially his support for Donald Trump and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
- Ideological Differences: Some individuals see these attacks as a means to combat the societal change they believe Tesla and Elon Musk are embodying.
The impacts are severe:
- Physical Harm: There's a real risk of injuries as these attacks escalate.
- Property Damage: The attacks have caused significant property damage, with arson and gunfire incidents at Tesla dealerships and service centers throughout the country.
- Economic Loss: There's been a drop of over 40% in Tesla's stock price due to these attacks.
- Public Perception: These incidents have increased scrutiny of political extremism, peaking concerns about domestic terrorism.
The legal response has been aggressive:
- FBI Task Force: The FBI has established a task force in collaboration with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to investigate and curtail the rise in violent incidents targeting Tesla.
- Charges and Arrests: Multiple suspects have been arrested and charged in connection with the attacks, with further investigations ongoing.
- The Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation, as Tesla vehicles and locations are becoming target of extremism and violence.
- Despite the revered status of Tesla before, the company and its vehicles are now seen as symbols of extremism and societal transformation by some, which has led to assaults and property damage.
- Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has warned against the escalating threats towards his company, likening them to domestic terrorism and only intensifying the political dissatisfaction and ideological differences against him and his company.
