Hundreds of protesters gathered outside Tesla showrooms across the United States on Saturday, voicing opposition to Elon Musk’s role in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and expressing anger over recent federal cost-cutting measures.
The protests, organised under the “Tesla Takedown” campaign, began on February 15 and have gained momentum amid concerns over mass government job cuts linked to DOGE.
The movement was launched by actor and filmmaker Alex Winter, alongside Joan Donovan, an assistant professor of Journalism and Emerging Media Studies at Boston University.
According to CNN, DOGE has already eliminated thousands of government jobs and this week unveiled plans to sharply reduce the Internal Revenue Service workforce by nearly 20% before May 15.
Demonstrations were staged at more than 80 locations nationwide on Saturday, with over 70 more planned through April, according to the Tesla Takedown website. The organisers called on supporters to “sell your Teslas, dump your stock, join the picket lines.”
In Dedham, a suburb of Boston, around 100 demonstrators gathered outside a Tesla showroom. A similar number turned out in West Chester, Pennsylvania, while Baltimore witnessed one of the largest gatherings, drawing at least 300 participants.
In Washington, DC, over 50 people had assembled by midday at a Tesla showroom, waving placards and dancing to music by Beyoncé and Daft Punk as drivers honked in support. The turnout marked a noticeable increase from a protest held at the same Georgetown location two weeks earlier.
Sara Steffens, a former journalist and policy advocate, said she partnered with Melissa Knutson, a self-employed demonstrator, to infuse the protest with a festive spirit. Knutson said she took inspiration from a similar protest in Maryland.
“We need to have joy because this is a long haul, and we need to grow our movement against this authoritarianism,” Knutson told CNN.
Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies are investigating a series of attacks on Tesla facilities, including showrooms, charging stations and vehicles.
On March 3, seven charging stations at a mall near Boston were set ablaze. Days later, six demonstrators were arrested in New York City for occupying a showroom. In Colorado, a woman was accused of throwing Molotov cocktails and vandalising Tesla property.
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Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed on Friday that her office had opened an inquiry into the incidents.
“If you’re going to touch a Tesla, go to a dealership, do anything, you better watch out because we’re coming after you. And if you’re funding this, we’re coming after you. We’re going to find out who you are,” Bondi said on Fox Business.
Earlier in the week, President Donald Trump and Musk appeared together on the South Lawn of the White House, where five Tesla vehicles were on display. Trump praised the electric cars as “beautiful” and said he hoped the event would encourage more Americans to consider buying a Tesla.
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