Anti-Musk Protests: Disorganized Demonstrations Impact Tesla Dealerships Nationwide

Reuters: Demonstrators hold signs during a protest at electric carmaker Tesla’s showroom in Seattle, Washington, U.S., February 15, 2025. REUTERS/David Ryder

Linda Koistinen and her husband Dale stood outside a Tesla dealership in Berkeley, California, protesting against Elon Musk and his work to disrupt the US government. They believe that Musk should not be making decisions about democracy by dismantling government agencies.

As part of an effort called #TeslaTakeover, protesters gathered at Tesla showrooms across the country on Saturday. Organizers used Bluesky, a social media platform competing with X (formerly Twitter), which is owned by Musk, to coordinate their protests.

In some cities like Washington DC and Minneapolis, only a dozen people attended the protests. Others were larger; in Berkeley, more than 200 protesters gathered. Some held signs that read “Say no to Doge” and “Deport Musk.”

Musk’s efforts under his White House-backed program called Doge aim to improve government efficiency by sending teams into agencies, identifying waste, and proposing budget cuts. However, many view this as a takeover of the government.

Sheryl Crow has taken action against Tesla by selling her vehicle and donating proceeds to National Public Radio. This follows days of concerned Americans urging others to dump their Tesla stock.

The protests were promoted by prominent disinformation researcher Joan Donovan and actor Alex Winter, among others. Teah Jackson noticed the Berkeley protest while out with her girlfriend and decided to support it.

Elon Musk is also the primary owner of SpaceX, Neuralink, and The Boring Company, but Tesla remains his most recognizable brand. Protesters are channeling their anger about Doge into actions against Tesla.