Tesla charging stations have been set on fire in the US state of Massachusetts as a backlash against Elon Musk grows. Demonstrators have been protesting against his close ties to Donald Trump and embrace of far-right politicians around the world. Officers and firefighters rushed to The Point Shopping Center near Boston and found the charging stations «engulfed in flames and heavy, dark smoke».
Police said seven charging stations were damaged and the «fire appears to have been intentionally set», but no injuries were reported. Musk, the billionaire chief executive of Tesla, now heads up the president’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Mr Musk has overseen the firing of thousands of government employees in recent weeks. The world’s richest man and his companies have been targeted since he made what looked like a Nazi salute at Mr Trump’s inauguration, with analysts saying Tesla’s car sales have fallen.
Tesla cars have been vandalised – and a woman was arrested after being accused of trying to burn down a Tesla dealership in Colorado. Some owners have put stickers on their cars announcing: «I bought it before Elon went nuts».
Mr Musk has also faced a backlash in Europe, where he has urged supporters of a German far-right party to move beyond their «past guilt», called for the release of jailed far-right activist Tommy Robinson, and described Sir Keir Starmer as an «evil tyrant». Read more from Sky News: China says it is ‘ready for any type of war’ with US after tariffs Billions of pounds in spending cuts expected in spring statement Bangladesh’s ousted PM ‘to stand trial’
A suspected arson attack caused a power outage and led to production being halted at a Tesla plant in the German state of Brandenburg, while an image of Musk making a straight-armed salute was also projected on a Tesla factory outside Berlin. In London, a poster at a bus stop featured a similar image and branded Teslas as «the swasticar».
Musk’s political activism impacting sales
Tesla saw its European sales figures drop by 45% in January, according to research firm Jato Dynamics, with sales in Germany and France down by about 60%. Senior analyst Felipe Munoz told Sky News «it’s hard to tell exactly how much his activism is impacting sales» – but said it was clear his «active role in politics» was «having an impact» on the company. Some of the decline may be linked to prospective buyers holding off buying the latest version of Tesla’s bestseller, the Model Y, with a new version due to be released later this year. But Mr Munoz said sales of the Model 3 had seen a «worrying» drop despite there being no reason for buyers to wait.
Democrats protest in Congress with ‘Musk steals’ signs
In a lengthy address to Congress on Tuesday, Mr Trump praised Mr Musk’s work, prompting two standing ovations from Republicans in the chamber. The president made exaggerated claims about alleged government abuse Mr Musk and his team had uncovered – prompting Democrats to wave signs reading «false» and «Musk steals».
Since Mr Trump’s inauguration, Tesla’s stock has fallen by 37% – representing a loss of $550bn (£429bn). Mr Munoz, said the long-term impact of the anger with Mr Musk may be easier to see in a few months. He added: «Most of the drivers care about the car, they don’t care about what the manager or owner of the company thinks, as long as their car doesn’t break.»
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