TEMPE, Ariz.—After Tesla CEO Elon Musk became the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the electric vehicle company, by proxy, has been subjected to growing violence by militant opponents of the federal government program cuts and federal workforce downsizing.
In the United States and Canada, Tesla showrooms have been attacked and Tesla vehicle owners have been threatened and doxxed.
The word “Resist” was spray-painted across the front entrance of the building.
On Feb. 19, a suspect allegedly threw eight Molotov cocktails at a Tesla showroom in Salem, Oregon, while armed with a suppressed AR-15 rifle.
The U.S. Attorney General has deemed the attacks acts of domestic terrorism.
“Let this be a warning: if you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars.”
A group named TeslaTakedown, which has sponsored Tesla protests, is calling for a Global Day of Action on March 29, urging followers to “dump your stock, join the picket lines.”
“Stopping Musk will help save lives and protect our democracy.”
The Takedown group urges people to “take action at Tesla showrooms everywhere. Sell your Teslas, dump your stock, join the picket lines—hurting Tesla is stopping Musk.”
Previously loyal but socially progressive customers are increasingly leaving the Tesla brand, triggering a significant drop in sales and stock market values globally.
T-Online in Germany surveyed 100,000 readers, finding that 94 percent would not purchase a Tesla due to Musk’s unpopular comments and political views.
Only recently have Tesla’s stock prices begun to recover.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said that police recently arrested a suspect in Loveland, Colorado, for attempting to ignite Teslas using Molotov cocktails in February.
The defendant was later allegedly found in possession of materials used to create incendiary devices.
In Charleston, South Carolina, a third defendant allegedly wrote profane messages against Trump near Tesla charging stations before setting them on fire with Molotov cocktails, Bondi said.
Each defendant faces felony charges with a minimum penalty of five years and up to 20 years in prison, she said.
“This level of violence is insane and deeply wrong,” Musk said on the social media platform X, which he acquired as Twitter in 2022 for $44 billion.
“Tesla just makes electric cars and has done nothing to deserve these evil attacks.”
In another incident, police in Austin, Texas, are investigating incendiary devices found at a Tesla dealership in the northwest part of the city on March 24.
“No matter the motivation, violence of any kind is unacceptable,” Laine wrote. “I am deeply relieved that no one was hurt during this incident and am in discussion with [Austin Police Department] Chief Lisa Davis about how to ensure our residents’ protection in the case of future violent escalations.”
As violence against Tesla continues to escalate, members of Congress are urging FBI Director Kash Patel to investigate its connections to domestic terrorism targeting Tesla dealerships and owners.
“The efforts to encourage violence and vandalism cross the line of civil protest and have morphed into an organized effort to promote violence.”
Police discovered around 80 damaged Tesla vehicles parked outdoors with deep scratches and punctured tires. They are currently reviewing surveillance camera footage.
Tesla’s Rise
Tesla Motors was co-founded in 2003 by American entrepreneurs Marc Tarpenning and Martin Eberhard. Musk became an investor in 2004 and was appointed CEO four years later.The automaker reported revenue exceeding $96 billion for the fiscal year 2023. That year, the Tesla Model Y became the world’s best-selling electric vehicle.
Tesla has maintained strong overall sales, but it has seen a decline since its peak sales volume in 2023. Its market share has been decreasing consistently since 2020, Cox Automotive noted.
Environmentally-conscious consumers have looked to Tesla’s innovative car designs and zero-emissions footprint, culminating in the Cybertruck, which entered production in 2023 with a price tag of $79,900.
“Tesla has been steadily climbing up the world’s most valuable car brands ranking, reaching the top in 2021,” the online market analyst stated.
“Tesla’s customer base has historically leaned towards wealthy, progressive, and environmentally-conscious buyers,” the company stated on its website.
The divisions between political sides concerning electric vehicles seem to have clearly emerged.
“Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, younger adults, and people living in urban areas are among the most likely to say they would consider purchasing an EV [electric vehicle],” the study reported.
However, between January 2024 and July 2024, favorability among Democrats plummeted from 39 percent to 16 percent, Emerging Strategy noted.
The company noted that among Tesla’s early adopters were affluent urban buyers and those that saw Tesla as an “aspirational, high-end product, much like the iPhone in its early days.”
Additionally, Teslas offered consumers numerous “green” benefits, including tax credits and other government inducements.
Attack in Las Vegas
On March 22, a sleek silver Cybertruck rolled down the Las Vegas Strip, while several white Teslas drove past the Trump International Hotel on Fashion Show Drive.At the Tesla Collision Center on Badura Avenue, the scene of the early morning firebombing on March 18, it was business as usual.
The graffiti had been removed, and all five damaged vehicles had been taken away.
Along with setting fire to a pair of Tesla Cybertrucks, police believe the suspect fired at least three rounds from a firearm at three other vehicles.
An employee said that everything has been “OK” since the attack.
The Epoch Times contacted Tesla’s corporate headquarters for additional comment, but is yet to receive a response.
In response to the attack, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has deployed police mobile units to various Tesla dealerships and repair facilities throughout the city.
Paul Hyon Kim, 36, was arrested and booked into the Clark County Detention Center on 15 charges, including multiple felonies related to arson, property destruction, unlawful possession of incendiary devices, and firearms offenses, according to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren.
Search warrants executed on two vehicles linked to Kim and his apartment turned up multiple firearms—including rifles, a shotgun, and a handgun—as well as ammunition of various calibers, gun parts, and clothing consistent with that worn by the suspect in the video. Electronic devices were seized and are currently being analyzed by the FBI, Koren said, adding that DNA evidence collected at the scene matched Kim.
The FBI added that since January, incidents targeting Tesla EVs have occurred in at least nine states, involving arson, gunfire, vandalism, and graffiti against perceived “racists, fascists, or political opponents.”
“These criminal actions appear to have been conducted by lone offenders, and all known incidents occurred at night,” the alert added.
The FBI said these incidents used rudimentary tactics requiring little planning, and advised the public to stay alert for suspicious activity.
An employee at a high-volume Tesla reseller in Las Vegas observed that some customers have expressed concerns about purchasing a Tesla due to the controversies surrounding Musk.
“They even said we don’t know if we’re going to keep the car” they have now, the employee told The Epoch Times.
“People are like, it’s already difficult for us. I’m having a hard time talking to people.”
Some see Musk as “rubbing people the wrong way,” the employee said.
Protesters
Every weekend since protests against Elon Musk began in February, Ron has been protesting outside the Tesla dealership in Tempe, Arizona.“It started with just a handful of people, but now the crowd has spilled down to the end of the building and across the street,” Ron said on March 22, while holding up a sign that read, “Enemies of the Constitution: Foreign and Domestic.”
Featured on the sign was a photo of Musk against a backdrop of a Confederate flag, alongside an image of President Donald Trump.
“I feel like this has been effective. I’ve been coming here every week, and the protests have been growing in size,” Ron said, as a group of 20 motorcycle riders passed by, flipping the middle finger at the protesters.
Other drivers tooted their horns to show support for the demonstration.
“It’s not a good time for us,” protester Wendy said, holding a sign criticizing Musk’s government cuts estimated at more than $115 billion.
Wendy was one of more than 50 people gathered in front of the Tesla dealership in heavily Democrat Tempe, Arizona, on March 22.
“You know, I think people are really fed up with Elon and how he’s not elected and how he is just gutting every program,” she said.
“Congress needs to wake up and [rein] them in. They’re the ones in charge of the money, not Elon Musk.”
All of the protesters at the Tempe rally who spoke with The Epoch Times requested that their last name was withheld to protect their privacy.
Wendy said she does not condone the recent attacks on Tesla dealerships across the country.
“No, that’s not acceptable,” she told The Epoch Times.
Bryan, hoisting a placard, said the protest is all about “free speech.”
