Elon Musk and his followers are reportedly targeting federal agencies for potential elimination, leading to a growing grassroots movement aiming to challenge the world’s wealthiest individual. The courts are currently addressing actions by Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, but the legal process is slow-growing, causing citizens to become increasingly impatient.
In response to Musk’s actions within the government, some individuals in the U.S. have resorted to selling their Teslas or even committing acts of vandalism. In addition, a significant number of people are organizing protests at Tesla dealerships nationwide on February 15. This movement was initiated by disinformation researcher Joan Donovan and gained momentum through documentary filmmaker and actor Alex Winter on Bluesky.
Donovan expressed in a TechCrunch interview that citizens have various forms of influence, such as communicating with representatives and raising public awareness about the perceived dismantling of government transparency by Musk. The protests, which began on Bluesky, are scheduled to occur outside Tesla showrooms in cities like Austin, Portland, Seattle, Kansas City, and Mesa, Arizona. Tesla and Musk have not provided any comments regarding these developments, as reported by TechCrunch.
Donovan, also an assistant professor of journalism at Boston University, emphasized her personal motivations as a concerned U.S. citizen following initial protests at Tesla stores. She was inspired by a small protest in Maine that facilitated conversations and community discussions, prompting her to increase awareness through social media posts, including linking to a list of Tesla stores in the U.S. and using the hashtag “#TeslaTakeover.”
Winter, who partnered with Donovan for arranging screenings of his documentary “The YouTube Effect,” was inspired by her efforts and contacted her to assist with organizing the protests. He used the platform Bluesky to urge individuals to sell their Teslas, divest from stock, and join the protests. Together, Donovan and Winter encouraged grassroots organization of local Tesla Takeover events, resulting in 42 planned protests across various states, such as California, Florida, Texas, and New York.
Winter also collaborated with The Disruption Project, providing training for those interested in mass activism. He mentioned that hundreds have RSVP’d for the protests and that new events are continually forming, including international interest. The motivations behind these protests extend beyond optics and community building. Musk’s substantial wealth is largely connected to his approximately 20% ownership of Tesla stock. Fluctuations in the company’s stock price could pose financial risks to Musk due to significant loans collateralized with Tesla shares.
The campaign aims to diminish confidence in Tesla’s prospects, potentially triggering widespread selling of shares, which could financially impact Musk. Winter, who has previously worked on exposing financial misconduct and critiquing YouTube’s algorithm, underscored the educational value of these public-facing initiatives.
Donovan and Winter cite Musk’s influence over the tech sphere as a longstanding concern, pointing out the potential risks of misinformation and its potentially violent consequences. Musk’s influence threatens public understanding and endangers government workers, judges, and their families, they argue. Donovan calls for people to unite locally while considering global consequences during these protests, emphasizing potential state-level actions to enforce accountability on the federal government.
