Over the weekend, protests targeting Tesla dealerships took place across several states, including Georgia, Texas, and Massachusetts, as part of a global day of action aimed at lowering the electric car company's stock value. According to FOX 5 Atlanta, around 40 people gathered in the North Druid Hills neighborhood of Atlanta, holding signs such as "Honk if you hate Elon," expressing their discontent with Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Similar protests were reported in states like California and Washington D.C. The goal of the protests was to encourage Tesla customers to sell their vehicles, thus impacting the company's stock.
NBC News reported additional protests in Southlake, Texas, where dozens gathered outside a Tesla dealership. In Watertown, Massachusetts, two protesters were struck by a pickup truck's side mirror outside a Tesla service center, though they declined medical treatment. The Watertown Police Department is investigating the incident. In Chicago, over 150 protesters gathered outside a Tesla showroom in the Gold Coast neighborhood, voicing their concerns and calling for a Tesla boycott. One protester, Joe Allen, said it was the largest turnout he had seen, adding, "We’re encouraging people to boycott Tesla and to hurt him [Elon Musk] so that he stops hurting us."
Protesters expressed a desire to decrease Musk’s influence, with Steva Stowell-Hardcastle stating, “We want to decrease his stock price, encourage people to sell the stock, and encourage people not to buy his cars,” in a statement obtained by NBC News. Some Musk supporters also appeared at the protests, leading to confrontations, particularly in Chicago, where a Tesla and Cybertruck drove past the crowd, prompting chants of "Sell your car!" and loud boos. Law enforcement agencies, including officers in Florida, remain on alert as the protests continue.
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