Tesla dealerships turn to protest sites amid outrage over Trump administration, Elon Musk

On almost any given day now, demonstrations can be found outside Tesla dealerships across the United States, with protesters rallying against the policies of President Donald Trump and his megadonor-turned-unelected official, Elon Musk.

Holding megaphones, homemade signs, drums, and flags of all kinds, demonstrators line the streets around Tesla showrooms, making their presence visible and audible from blocks away. Their protests have often left Tesla showrooms largely empty.

What was once a symbol of environmental consciousness - embraced especially by the political left - has now become a gathering point for opponents of a far-right US administration. Curbside signs reading "Honk if you hate Elon" and "Honk if you love democracy" catch the attention of passing drivers, many of whom respond with supportive honks.

"We're here every Saturday. It’s been so much fun," Patty Moddelmog, a protest organiser at Tesla’s San Francisco location, told The New Arab. She first called for a demonstration on Presidents' Day in January, attracting around a thousand participants, and has been leading weekly protests ever since. "You can schedule a protest and put it online and people will come," she said.

Through these protests, Moddelmog hopes to foster a broad coalition against Trump, encouraging people to set aside some of their differences to focus on the common goal of defending democracy, economic justice, and social rights.

"The Trump administration wants to make us enemies and divide us. They want us to believe they are far more powerful than they actually are. But we are powerful - there are far more Americans than there are members of the Trump administration - and we’re going to stand up," she said.

While Musk is not the only Trump administration figure facing public anger, his prominence as both a businessman and government official has made him a symbol of oligarchy and growing income inequality.

His controversial actions - including making what appeared to be a Nazi salute at Trump’s inauguration in January, supporting pro-natalist and anti-immigrant policies favouring white demographics, and rejecting LGBTQ+ rights - have only fueled public outrage.

Standing at a busy intersection in front of the Tesla dealership, Rob Bernstein holds a homemade sign reading, "Hey Elon, this Jew says F*** you, Nazi scum." For Bernstein, speaking out against Musk felt both personal and necessary.

"What brought me out here is the lawlessness of our government moving towards fascism, especially the fascist salute by Tesla’s owner," he told TNA. "A good friend from college once told me, ‘When I see the fascist salute, I feel disgusted but not threatened.’ And I said, ‘As a Jew, when I see the Nazi salute, I feel both disgusted and threatened.’ So it was important for me to call him out as a Nazi."

Referring to the weekly protest held on the Sabbath, Bernstein added, "Fighting Tesla fascism is my synagogue. A lot of people appreciate the sign. Some say it’s risky or brave, but I think it’s important to speak out and make it personal."

He also drew comparisons to the government’s increasingly aggressive immigration enforcement, saying, "I think ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] is turning into an American Gestapo."

Bernstein, who also participated in anti-Vietnam War protests decades ago, noted that while past protests were larger and more centralised, today's demonstrations are smaller, decentralised, and happening daily across all 50 states.

The protest outside Tesla comes amid a series of alarming immigration-related incidents: the deportation of a U.S.-born toddler, the arrest of a judge over an immigration case, and growing fears among international students of visa cancellations.

"I'm a Stanford student. I'm really concerned about how the Trump administration is treating international students, and I want to protect my international friends," said Benjamin Graham, who was attending his first protest since Trump’s inauguration. Wearing a Stanford shirt, he criticised the consolidation of wealth fueling the Trump administration. "Tesla’s wealth is fueling culture wars that are having real impacts on immigrants and students."

Standing beside him was Eliza Krackeler, wearing a Stanford baseball cap. She said, "They’re telling students not to travel home for the summer because they might not be allowed back to campus. There’s so much uncertainty. People with valid visas are afraid of being deported."

"It’s heartbreaking. Immigrants who came here seeking a better life are instead facing prejudice and discrimination," she added.