Hate Alert: Tesla Takedown Protests
Potential for violence and vandalism at nationwide demonstrations planned at 500 Tesla dealerships this Saturday, March 29 The New Tolerance Campaign (NTC), a watchdog organization tracking far-left extremism and political violence in the United States via its HateMap.com project, is flagging law enforcement and warning the general public to steer clear of “Tesla Takedown” protests planned across the country this Saturday, March 29. Launched to generate grassroots rallies in opposition to Tesla CEO Elon Musk and his actions as part of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the Tesla Takedown Movement encourages supporters to “take action at Tesla showrooms everywhere,” asserting that “hurting Tesla is stopping Musk,” and that “stopping Musk will help save lives and our democracy.” In recent weeks, several demonstrations at Tesla locations that began as civil protests later erupted in violence and/or vandalism. In recent weeks, Tesla dealerships have been the targets of gunfire and arson. In an interview, Valerie Costa, one of the movement’s founders, agreed that Tesla Takedown activities are inspired by Luigi Mangione, who assassinated United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024. The ANTIFA-linked Online Anarchist Federation shared a post from the Philly Anti-Capitalist website recommending incendiary devices that can be used to burn down Tesla sites. Last week, the website Dogequest was launched featuring an interactive map listing the addresses and phone numbers of Tesla owners across the country. The cursor on the website depicts a Molotov cocktail. Dogequest also includes the locations of Tesla dealerships and superchargers. On Saturday, March 29, the progressive activist group Indivisible is organizing 500 Tesla Takedown protests across the country. During a video conference to plan the day of action, actor John Cusack stated: “We are in an oligarchic country that’s fascist and becoming more fascist every day, and that means that people are going to die and it’s going to get as ugly as we can think. And the only way to stop that is if the people who have the money are afraid of us.” U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has declared the wave of violence at Tesla locations “domestic terrorism.” The New Tolerance Campaign urges the public to avoid Tesla dealerships, service centers, and public charging stations on March 29, and to employ caution at those sites on March 28 and March 30 as several instances of political violence at Tesla locations have occurred in the lead-up to Tesla Takedown protests and in their aftermath. Owners of Tesla vehicles are encouraged to exercise vigilance and limit use of their cars during this period. The NTC HateMap.com project is a comprehensive resource documenting instances of political violence perpetrated by leftist organizations across the United States. The interactive Map aims to fill the gaps left by traditional civil rights organizations, such as the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), which have largely overlooked or ignored such acts. HateMap.com is designed to be a vital tool for journalists, researchers, and news organizations seeking to understand and report on the full spectrum of political violence in the country.