Tesla has been the target of protest and destruction by founder Elon Musk's critics about his work in Government Efficiency (DOGE) under President Donald Trump. Since January, Tesla vehicles, dealers and factories have been attacked by rebels and anti-Trump activists.
1. Salem, Oregon – January 20th and February 19th
On January 20, 2025, hours before Trump took the oath of office, Salem police and firefighters responded to reports of a fire at a Tesla dealer. In a statement issued on the day of the incident, police said “the fire was limited to one vehicle,” and “it was also found to be broken in the building's window panels.” Statesman Journal Tesla reported that it estimated the cost of damage to be around $500,000.
Almost a month later, on February 19th, police were called to the same dealer over a report of the damaged window. Police said: “It is said that a projectile believed to have been affected by bullets, fragments of bullets and several projectiles reported it citing court documents.
On March 4th, 41-year-old Adam Matthew Lansky was arrested in connection with the incident. The U.S. Lawyer's Office in Oregon said Lansky was charged with criminal charges of illegally owning an unregistered, destructive device, perhaps a Molotov cocktail. Lancesky is said to have been seen in surveillance footage of a dealer throwing a Molotov cocktail. Oregon Lawyers' Office.
Bystander video shows the suspected arson attack after two Cybertocks flare up at a Tesla dealer in Kansas City on Monday, March 17, 2025. (Levi Campbell via Storyful)
“Domestic Terrorism” hits Tesla drivers.
2. Loveland, Col. – January 29th – FEB. twenty four
Police in Loveland, Colorado, handled at least five cases in about a month. US Lawyers' Office in Colorado He detailed each case in a statement that issued accusations against Lucy Grace Nelson, also known as Justin Thomas Nelson.
On January 29th, police received a report of the fire near Cybertock at a Tesla dealer and discovered a Molotov cocktail next to the vehicle. A few days later, on February 2nd, the Tesla dealer's signature was destroyed and the word “Nazi” was smashed. Additionally, on February 7, someone reported potential graffiti and arson at a Tesla dealership, according to the US law firm. Rather than specifying whether it was the same dealer as the first two cases, CBS News It seems to indicate that it was.
A few days after the incident, on February 11th, security guards met someone who drew graffiti on the building. According to a US law firm, “I used expletive.” Then, on February 24th, police confronted Nelson at the dealership and found gas containers, bottle boxes and “Vic materials” from Nelson's car.
3. OWING SMILLS, MD. – March 2nd
A Tesla dealer in Owings Mills, Maryland, a suburb of Baltimore, was destroyed with spray paint that read “no musk.” Reportedly, CBS NewsPolice said it was likely an “X” that was likely to represent the ownership of masks on the social media platform previously known as Twitter.
At this point, there were no arrests in connection with the incident.
4. Littleton, Massachusetts – March 3rd
Police in Littleton, Massachusetts. The police department said it is investigating a fire at the Tesla charging station in a shopping centre “believed essentially questionable.” Officers received a report on the fire at the charging station around 1:10am on March 3rd. Police say another charging station started a fire while waiting for Littleton's lights and water department to arrive.
No injuries have been reported and so far, police do not appear to have a lead on who could be behind the fire. The Arson Clock Reward Program encourages the public to reach out to all kinds of information. The program offers up to $5,000 for information to prevent, resolve or detect arson.
Tiguard police investigated two shooting attacks against Tesla. (Tigard Police Station)
A San Jose man was arrested after a virus video showed suspicion of keying Tesla in a Costco parking lot
5. Tiguard, Oregon – March 6th and 13th
Within a week, Tiguard Police Station We investigated two different reports of shots fired at Tesla dealers. Although we have not specified a report, it appears to indicate that the incident occurred at a different dealer location.
The first incident occurred on March 6 when police investigated the damage sustained by a Tesla dealer, which appears to have been an overnight shooting. Police believe that the person in charge of the shooting or the person in charge of the shooting began firing around 1:46am, causing three vehicles to break and windows shattered in the incident. Additionally, bullet holes were found on the office wall and computer monitor. Police believe at least seven shots have been fired. There were no arrests in this case at the time of writing.
Earlier on March 13th, more than a dozen shots were fired at a Tesla dealer, damaging car and showroom windows. Police say there was a security guard while on duty at the time, but he was not injured in the incident. So far, there have been no arrests.
6. North Charleston, SC. – March 7th
Reports say a man allegedly accidentally set his clothes on fire while trying to burn Tesla's charging station. He also reportedly painted “f*** Trump” and “Long Living Ukraine” near the station. South Carolina Lawyer's Office. He is also said to have threw a Molotov cocktail at the Tesla Chargers.
On March 14, Daniel Clark Pound was arrested on criminal charges related to the arson attack, the U.S. Lawyer's Office said in a press release. Pounder faces up to 20 years in federal prisons.
“We defend the public's right to peaceful protests, but when protests cross the line between violence and mayhem, we are not reluctant to act. These types of attacks are not found in our community,” said Attorney Brook B. Andrews of the South Carolina area.
7. Seattle, Washington – March 9th
Four Cybertooks parked in Teslalotte in Seattle were damaged in the fire, which is still under investigation. Authorities said Associated Press No one has been injured and no property other than the vehicle has been damaged.
So far, no arrests have been made and no injuries have been reported.
8. Dedham, Massachusetts – March 11th
Police were called to the scene after two Tesla Cybertook and Tesla models were damaged Dedham, MA. All tires on three vehicles were damaged and two cyber trucks were destroyed with spray paint. Some of the words painted on one of the vehicles reportedly matched the graffiti reported at the same location on February 26th.
Dedham Police encourages the public to move forward with information about crime.
Authorities are investigating the possibility of an arson attack in five Teslas, including Molotov cocktails, at the Clash Center in Las Vegas, Nevada on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (Souphany Vannavong via Storyful)
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9. Kansas City, Missouri – March 17th
Just before midnight on March 17th, a cyber truck erupted in the car park of a Tesla dealer in Kansas City. According to Kansas City Starbefore firefighters arrived at the scene, the fire spread to the second vehicle.
The FBI's Kansas City Field Office and the ATF issued a joint statement on Tuesday's incident. They said it would still be “too early in the investigation and too much to comment further,” or would explain more about the possibility that it may have occurred.
10. Las Vegas, Nevada. – March 18th
Five Tesla vehicles were damaged at a service center in Las Vegas. FBI Las Vegas special agent Spencer Evans told reporters Tuesday that the incident “certainly has some of the characteristics” of the terrorist attack, but it was certainly too early to say.
Musk blamed the incident, saying it was “unusual and deeply wrong.”
Attorney General Pam Bondy issued a statement Tuesday evening saying, “The swarm of violent attacks on Tesla's property is nothing but domestic terrorism.” She vowed that the DOJ will continue the investigation, and said the person in charge will face serious consequences.
