Tesla faces a surge in violent attacks, with molotov cocktails and gunfire targeting dealerships and charging stations as backlash against Elon Musk intensifies.
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| Tesla dealerships and charging stations across the U.S. have been attacked with molotov cocktails and gunfire, highlighting rising public hostility toward Elon Musk. Image: Tesla superchargers on fire in Littleton, Massachusetts. (Fire Chief Steele McCurdy/Littleton Fire Department/ WP) |
Loveland, Colorado, USA — March 9, 2025:
A wave of violent attacks against Tesla has spread across the United States, with dealerships, charging stations, and vehicles set on fire or defaced in a show of hostility toward CEO Elon Musk. Court records, surveillance footage, and police reports detail escalating incidents involving arson, vandalism, and gunfire, reads an WP report.
In Loveland, Colorado, Lucy Grace Nelson was arrested after repeatedly targeting a Tesla dealership over 13 days. Armed with molotov cocktails made from Smirnoff Ice bottles, she ignited Tesla vehicles and spray-painted "Nazi" on the building. Another message, directed at Musk, was scrawled across the dealership’s entrance doors.
Similar incidents have occurred nationwide. Tesla superchargers in Littleton, Massachusetts, were set ablaze. In Maryland, vandals spray-painted “No Musk” alongside a swastika-like symbol on a Tesla facility. In Salem, Oregon, an armed man attacked a Tesla dealership, first throwing molotov cocktails and later opening fire, causing $500,000 in damages, according to police.
The attacks coincide with mounting troubles for Tesla. The company's stock has dropped more than 35% since Donald Trump’s inauguration, and sales have declined for the first time in over a decade. In Germany, Tesla car sales fell 76% in February compared to the previous year. Once a symbol of sustainability, the brand has increasingly been linked to Musk’s political alliances, alienating some consumers.
Ross Gerber, a longtime Tesla investor, warned that the destruction could deter buyers. "People don’t want to be associated with Musk if it means dealing with vandalism," he said.
The backlash against Tesla is not new. Last year, environmental activists sabotaged Tesla’s Berlin factory by setting fire to an electricity pylon. Months later, hundreds of protesters attempted to storm the site.
Despite the growing violence, Musk and Tesla have remained largely silent. After a supercharger was defaced with anti-Musk graffiti, a Tesla social media account stated the company “will press charges for vandalism.”
Law enforcement agencies are investigating the incidents. In Brookline, Massachusetts, a Tesla owner confronted a man placing a Musk-related sticker on his car. The suspect, who claimed free speech as his defense, was identified but not arrested.
More alarming incidents have taken place. On Inauguration Day in Salem, Oregon, a Tesla driver fled after seeing a man dressed in black, armed with an AR-style rifle, throwing molotov cocktails at Tesla vehicles. According to court records, the suspect—identified as Adam Matthew Lansky—dropped an ignited device and pointed his weapon at the Tesla owner before being apprehended.
Authorities have condemned the violence. "Regardless of political motivations, arson and destruction of property are not acceptable forms of protest," said Matthew Pinard, police chief of Littleton, Massachusetts.
As Tesla struggles with falling sales, investor concerns, and a shifting public perception of its CEO, the increasing violence raises serious questions about security, brand reputation, and the company’s future.