Over the weekend, 1000’s of individuals joined the “Tesla Takedown” protest motion on the firm’s showrooms throughout the nation. On the similar time, a a lot smaller variety of Elon Musk supporters turned out at Tesla places for a counterprotest motion that some contributors dubbed “Tesla Defend.”
Whereas the protest motion includes individuals angered at Elon Musk’s position within the dismantling of federal authorities businesses, the counterprotest motion that confirmed up this weekend was peopled principally by MAGA supporters. Amongst them had been an array of far-right extremists, together with members of the Proud Boys, armed militias, and at one occasion in Idaho, a man dressed as Hitler.
As Musk’s so-called Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE) rips by means of enormous swaths of the federal authorities and places individuals’s lives and livelihoods in danger, the Tesla protest motion has gained traction. Tesla’s inventory worth has dropped by greater than 30 p.c because the starting of the 12 months. Remoted incidents of vandalism towards Tesla autos and chargers in addition to dealerships have led Trump to push the Division of Justice to deal with alleged violent protesters as “home terrorists,” and now some extremist teams have taken it upon themselves to assist Musk struggle again.
“My individuals will likely be free, my individuals will rule once more,” David Pettinger, a member of the extremist anti-government Folks’s Rights group, shouted at protesters in a faux German accent exterior a Tesla dealership in Meridian, Idaho, on Saturday, in line with video footage of the incident.
A moustachioed Pettinger wore a T-shirt with the phrases “LITERALLY HITLER” written on the again and an image of Musk giving a nazi-like salute on the entrance. Carrying jodhpurs and black boots, Pettinger marched in entrance of protesters and handed out heart-shaped stickers to Musk supporters.
Pettinger instructed WIRED that he dressed as Hitler to “make enjoyable of the overuse of the phrases nazi and fascist.” Nevertheless, Pettinger’s posts on X echo Hitler’s deeply antisemitic worldview.
Additionally in Meridian had been a lot of armed people in camouflage gear, some carrying physique armor, in line with photos of the counterprotest posted to Bluesky. Pettinger additionally seemed to be armed, in line with video footage displaying a handgun tucked into his jodhpurs.
In the meantime, Josh Fulfer, who’s recognized on-line as Oreo Specific and was on the US Capitol in Washington on January 6, joined a counterprotest group in Fresno, California, telling an area information outlet: “We’re out right here to point out help for DOGE, Elon Musk, Tesla, and this administration.” Fulfer will be seen on his personal movies harassing and shouting at protesters.
Forward of the Tesla Takedown protests this weekend, the Proud Boys and different far-right teams put out calls on their social media channels for supporters to point out up in numbers and counter the protests.
A nearly the entire dealerships which had protests this weekend, nevertheless, the variety of anti-Musk protesters vastly outnumbered the pro-Musk protesters.