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Mar 30, 25
Filed under: Action, Anti-fascist, Featured, The State
Protests against billionaire Elon Musk and his growing attacks on federal workers, veterans, and social programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, continued to gain momentum on Saturday, as thousands took part in hundreds of #TeslaTakedown demonstrations across the US and beyond, despite an attempt by small groups of neo-Nazis, Proud Boys, and Trump supporters to intimidate rally goers.
#TeslaTakedown NYC
— Brooke Pierce (@bpie7.bsky.social) 2025-03-29T17:38:04.661Z
As The Guardian reported:
On Saturday, with more than 200 events planned worldwide, protests kicked off midday in front of Tesla showrooms in Australia and New Zealand and then rippled across Europe in countries including Finland, Norway, Denmark, Germany, France, the Netherlands and the UK. Each rally was locally organized with original themes. In Ireland, it was “Smash the Fash”, and Switzerland had “Down with Doge”. Photos posted to Bluesky by Tesla Takedown showed demonstrators in San Jose, California, close to where Tesla was previously headquartered, and Austin, Texas, where its headquarters are now.
Since Trump came to power on January 20th, 2025, an organic movement has been building, holding rallies and protests outside of Tesla dealerships, encouraging people to boycott the automaker, dump their Tesla stock, and trade-in their vehicles. Over the past two months, Tesla stock has tanked, costing Musk billions of dollars, trade-ins of Tesla vehicles have skyrocketed, and boycotts in places like Germany, where Musk came out in support of the neo-fascist AfD party, has led to a mass decline in sales. Despite politicians and influencers rushing to encourage the MAGA faithful to buy Tesla vehicles, as Business Insider reported, “Tesla has lost so much value in such a short period of time that JPMorgan analysts said they couldn’t think of another comparable moment in automotive history.”
Protesters hold signs as they protest in Walnut Creek, Calif., on Saturday, March 29, 2025. About 2,000 people showed up to protest against Elon Musk and the current administration. #teslaprotest #tesla #teslatakedown #protest
— Jose Carlos Fajardo (@fuzyjoe.bsky.social) 2025-03-29T21:04:21.884Z
Trump officials have also pushed to demonize a growing chorus of sabotage, graffiti, and property destruction against Tesla vehicles, labeling it “domestic terrorism,” while predictably echoing far-Right conspiracies that such acts are being “funded,” as Trump has even floated the idea that anti-Tesla protesters would be sent to prisons in El Salvador, and Musk has claimed that the Trump administration would “go after” vocal critics of his company.
I am tracking multiple far right groups, including extremist groups such as the Proud Boys and White Supremacists, organizing counter-protests and other actions in response to tomorrow’s #TeslaTakedown protests during the “Global Day of Action.”
— Teddy Wilson (@reportbywilson.bsky.social) 2025-03-28T20:20:04.389Z
Increased authoritarian rhetoric from Trump, Musk, and pundits on Fox News, has galvanized a small segment of far-Right, neo-Nazi, and Republican groups to mobilize in public support of Musk and his increasingly unpopular attacks on working-class Americans, in an attempt to intimidate anti-Musk protesters. Already in Florida, a Trump supporter was arrested last week, after driving his car onto the sidewalk in an apparent attempt to injure anti-Tesla protesters, and in Berkeley, CA, a far-Right influencer clashed with demonstrators after he pulled a weapon on the crowd.
At the Boise area Tesla protest, these brave American chuds were there to ensure a safe shopping environment by standing around with guns, screaming slurs from a bullhorn, and occasionally chanting "we love Musk." Extremely normal stuff that people love to wade through when car-shopping.#idaho
— CallipygianTheTerrible (@eurovisionista.bsky.social) 2025-03-29T22:08:14.270Z
Despite the far-Right coming out in support of Musk, the number of anti-Tesla demonstrations only continues to increase, with protests taking place at hundreds of locations on March 29th. Calls for counter-protests by Trump supporters, neo-Nazis, and Proud Boys also failed to stop or intimidate anti-Tesla demonstrators, and generally, far-Right rally goers were vastly outnumbered when counter-protests did take place.
#TeslaTakedown demonstrations held a large rally today in #Fresno. Showing up in support of billionaire Elon Musk was Josh Fulfer, who took part in J6th + has a rap sheet including weapons charges + domestic violence.Fulfer rallies alongside neo-Nazis and Proud Boys. gvwire.com/2025/03/29/d…
— It's Going Down (@igd.bsky.social) 2025-03-30T06:07:39.438Z
In Salem, OR, over 100 rallied to protest Musk outside of a Tesla showroom, while several members of the Proud Boys held Trump flags in support of Musk in a counter-demonstration.
— The Duck Station (Parody) (@kugn590.bsky.social) 2025-03-30T02:16:22.803Z
In Fresno, CA, dozens of pro-Musk counter-protesters faced off against a crowd of over 100, who denounced the Nazi saluting billionaire. Among the pro-Musk group was Josh Fulfer, a January 6th participant with a history of domestic violence and known for attending far-Right rallies alongside neo-Nazis and Proud Boys. In Camarillo, CA, a small group of far-Right Trump supporters also showed up to counter a much larger anti-Tesla protest.
Columbus, Ohio #teslatakedown with over 1000 protestors. Proud Boys decided to show up, but only about 20 of them. #teslaprotest #columbusohio
In Columbus, OH, despite threats of the Proud Boys showing up, a crowd of over 500 rallied against Tesla, with only around 30 pro-Musk counter-protesters materializing.
Small smattering of neo-Nazis, Proud Boys, and MAGA came out to show support for Nazi saluting billionaire Elon Musk today – including David Pettinger in #Idaho, who rocked a Hitler mustache and Musk "salute" shirt.These neo-Nazis are emboldened by Musk's embrace of Hitler. #TeslaTakedown
— It's Going Down (@igd.bsky.social) 2025-03-30T05:58:46.687Z
In Meridian, ID, around 100 armed far-Right Musk supporters did rally against a smaller anti-Musk demonstration outside of a Tesla, including local far-Right activist David Pettinger, who attended the rally dressed like Adolf Hitler, complete with a small mustache and a shirt showing Elon Musk giving a Nazi salute.
A banner outside the Manhattan Tesla Showroom reads “Burn a Tesla, Save Democracy" during the ‘Takedown Tesla' protest in NYC.
Hundreds of pro-Musk demonstrators also rallied in New Jersey, facing off against a seemingly smaller group of anti-Musk protestors. Anti-Tesla demonstrators also squared off with counter-protesters in Oklahoma, Connecticut, Florida, Texas, and Long Island, NY, with far-Right crowds often remaining much smaller than the number of anti-Musk protesters.
Cover photo featuring collage from Boise Autonomous Solidarity Hub, the Duck Station, and Brooke Pierce.
