Elon Musk took a swipe at tens of thousands of people demonstrating at his foray into politics, saying: “Based on the videos I’ve seen so far, the worst fear of the paid Tesla ‘protestors’ appears to be having to get a real job.” Coordinated demonstrations took place across the world against Musk and his efforts alongside US President Donald Trump to slash waste and wokery as part of the Tesla Takedown Global Day of Action.
It saw more than 200 events in front of electric vehicle showrooms in Australia, New Zealand and across Europe in Finland, Norway, Denmark, Germany, France, and the Netherlands and the UK. Each rally was locally organised with dealerships targeted in Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester, Nottingham and Winchester. The movement describes itself as a grassroots campaign “to stop Elon Musk promoting authoritarians, disinformation and fossil fuels around the globe”. Its stated aim is to “finish the unelected centibillionaire as a political force by tanking Tesla’s still wildly inflated share price and thus his liquidity”.
Musk’s acerbic put down, released on X, the social media platform he owns, in his first public response to the worldwide rally suggests he thinks the movement is nothing more than a concerted Left-wing attempt to silence him and his crusade against rampant wokery that has permeated every area of life.
The protests are also supported by the UK’s Stop Trump Coalition, which is working towards a mass demonstration against US President Donald Trump’s planned state visit later this year.
Organisers claim the ongoing small-scale protests are “powerful and effective” as they “raise awareness, hit the brand, and hinder Tesla’s ability to make sales”.
Theodora Sutcliffe said: “One of the most fascinating things about watching this wave of protests unfold internationally is realising how many countries have an Elon Musk problem.”
The demos come just a fortnight after President Trump shared his intent to purchase a Tesla after the electric vehicle maker’s sales and share price plunged amid the controversy surrounding its chief executive’s foray into global politics, most notably as the boss of the White House cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency.
Musk, who is the world’s richest person, heads the newly-created Department of Government Efficiency, which is tasked with slashing federal budgets in the US, including laying off thousands of workers.
Trump said “radical left lunatics” are “illegally and collusively” boycotting Tesla, which the president described as one of the best carmakers in the world. This action, Trump said, was meant as an attack on Musk and what he stands for.
He said: “I’m going to buy a brand new Tesla as a show of confidence and support for Elon Musk, a truly great American.”