SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY – Dozens of Southern California residents held up signs outside the Upland Tesla dealership, March 29, in protest to Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s role in the federal government.
On the ‘Tesla Takedown’ site – which lists over 200 protests taking place on the ‘global day of action,’ organizers say ‘Elon Musk is destroying our democracy, and he’s using the fortune he built at Tesla to do it.’
They call for people to ‘Sell your Teslas, dump your stock, join the picket lines.’
Pomona resident Debbie said she’s 65 years old and terrified that her rights are being stripped away from her.
“I’m here at the Musk Takedown because a private citizen is making decisions for me and the government is approving it. I didn’t vote for him. It’s illegal what he is doing and he should be arrested,” Debbie told the HD Post.
Judge grants restraining order against Musk and DOGE
Musk’s role as a senior advisor to President Donald Trump, particularly his involvement with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has sparked significant controversy.
While the White House asserts that he is not an employee of DOGE and lacks formal decision-making authority, President Trump has publicly stated that Musk is leading the department.
This inconsistency has raised legal questions about the constitutionality of his involvement.
In February, a federal court in New York granted a temporary restraining order against Musk and DOGE associates from accessing social security numbers and bank account information due to privacy violations.
Critics are also concerned about potential conflicts of interest, given that Musk’s companies – SpaceX and Tesla, have received at least $38 billion in government contracts, loans, subsidies, and tax credits over the past two decades.
Despite Musk’s businesses benefitting from taxpayer money, he has pushed to cut government spending.
‘Tesla’s a peaceful company’
At least 10 Tesla dealerships, charging stations, and facilities have been targeted by vandals, with several incidents involving cars being set on fire.
“I think a great wrong is being done to the people of Tesla and to our customers,” Musk told Fox News.
He goes on to say that Tesla’s a peaceful company that has made great cars and great products.
‘Tesla Takedown is a peaceful protest’
The Tesla Takedown emphasized on the website that it is a peaceful protest movement.
“We oppose violence, vandalism and destruction of property. This protest is a lawful exercise of our First Amendment right to peaceful assembly,” said the organizers.
