Global protests target Elon Musk, Tesla over US budget cuts

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen English
30 Mar 2025 22:58

Elon Musk's handling of DOGE and federal cuts has prompted worldwide demonstrations against his brand, Tesla, calling for protests and boycotts.

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk speaks before unveiling the Model Y at Tesla's design studio, March 14, 2019, in Hawthorne, Calif., US (AP)

Thousands of protesters worldwide took to the streets on Saturday in a coordinated demonstration against Tesla CEO Elon Musk, condemning his efforts to cut US federal budgets, according to The Guardian.

Demonstrations were held outside Tesla showrooms across the United States, Europe, and Australia, with protesters urging a boycott of Tesla cars and stock sales.

Calls for a Tesla Boycott

Protest organizers urged people to take three actions:

Refuse to buy Tesla vehicles
Sell their Tesla shares
Join the "Drop Tesla" movement

In San Francisco, around 200 protesters gathered outside a Tesla showroom, temporarily halting autonomous vehicle traffic. Demonstrators expressed outrage over what they described as Musk’s "hostile takeover" of the US government.

The San Francisco showroom, spanning an entire city block, was emptied of cars, with only a few security guards inside and police officers stationed outside. Meanwhile, a group of four men wearing red "MAGA" hats and black "Doge" shirts was seen observing the protest.

Over 200 Protests Worldwide

More than 200 demonstrations took place across the world, starting in Australia and New Zealand before spreading to European nations such as Finland, Norway, Denmark, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and the UK. Each protest featured unique themes, with slogans like "Smash Fashion" in Ireland and "Drop Doge" in Switzerland.

Tesla and Elon Musk are experiencing a "brand tornado crisis moment," and the CEO has to reduce his work for Donald Trump to mitigate the damage, according to one of the company's most vocal fans.

The warning came after Tesla issued a recall of 46,000 Cybertrucks in the United States last week to repair an external panel that might detach while driving.

Protesters declared that they were planning their largest day of action yet against the EV company, with 500 protests scheduled at Tesla stores worldwide on March 29.

Tesla shares have lost a third of their value in the last month due to a variety of investor worries, including the impact on sales of Musk's high-profile participation with the Trump administration, which included slashing the public sector through DOGE.