As Elon Musk and his followers push forward in the federal government with the goal of dismantling various agencies, a grassroots movement has been gaining momentum to hit him where it hurts most.
While the courts are reviewing the decisions made by Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, the judicial process is slow, and public concern continues to grow.
Some Americans, outraged by the actions of Musk’s government influence, have chosen to sell their Tesla vehicles or even resort to vandalism. However, instead of isolated actions, hundreds of people have decided to organize protests at Tesla dealerships across the country on February 15. This movement quickly gained traction last week, thanks to disinformation researcher Joan Donovan, and was further amplified by documentary filmmaker and Bill & Ted actor Alex Winter on the Bluesky platform.
“As citizens, we have different ways to exert pressure,” Donovan explained in an interview with TechCrunch. “One way is to engage with our representatives, but another is to raise public awareness about the exploitation of government data and the lack of transparency with which Musk operates—seemingly without restrictions.”
What started on Bluesky soon turned into a series of planned demonstrations in front of Tesla dealerships in multiple cities, including Austin, Portland, Seattle, Kansas City, and Mesa, Arizona.
Donovan, who is also an adjunct professor of journalism at Boston University, said she was motivated after witnessing small protests at Tesla stores the previous week.
“I was inspired by a small protest in Maine, where some citizens brought signs to a Tesla charging station. That small act sparked a conversation and allowed people to connect and discuss what was happening,” Donovan said.
From that moment on, she decided to take action.
On February 8, she posted on Bluesky: “If Musk thinks he can run wild in Washington, handling personal data however he wants, then we can make some noise in front of Tesla dealerships.” Her post included a link to Tesla’s U.S. store list, along with the hashtag #TeslaTakeover.
Winter, who had previously worked with Donovan to organize screenings of his documentary The YouTube Effect at universities, joined the call.
On February 10, he wrote on Bluesky: “Sell your Tesla, get rid of your shares, and join the protests. Hurting Tesla means stopping Musk, and stopping Musk can help save lives and protect our democracy.”
Protestors outside the Tesla Manhattan Showroom.
Following his post, Winter and Donovan encouraged people to organize their own local Tesla Takeover events. By Friday afternoon, 42 protests had already been scheduled in cities across the U.S., including California, Florida, Texas, and New York.
Winter also partnered with The Disruption Project, a group that trains individuals interested in social activism. According to him, hundreds of people have confirmed their participation, and the numbers keep growing. They have even received reports of people planning protests outside the U.S.
Beyond shaping public perception or strengthening the community, Winter explained that these actions could have financial repercussions. A significant portion of Musk’s wealth comes from his stake in Tesla, where he owns about 20% of the company’s shares.
Since he has used a large portion of those shares as collateral for loans, a substantial drop in Tesla’s stock price could put him in financial trouble. As of his latest regulatory filing in April 2024, Musk had pledged nearly 60% of his Tesla shares as loan collateral. If Tesla’s stock were to plummet enough, his lenders could demand immediate repayment or force him to renegotiate his loan terms.
“The ultimate goal is to devalue the company, create a vote of no confidence in its future, and trigger a mass sell-off of shares, which would directly harm him,” Winter stated. “But I also see this as an opportunity to educate and enhance public activism literacy.”
Winter has a track record of exposing controversial issues through his documentaries, such as the Panama Papers and the risks of YouTube’s algorithm. He is also involved in the Free Our Feeds initiative, which seeks to develop an open social media network based on Bluesky’s AT protocol.
From that perspective, it’s not surprising that he has expressed concerns about Musk’s influence on technology for years.
Meanwhile, Donovan argues that Musk is exploiting many Americans’ lack of understanding of how the government functions to spread disinformation. She fears this could lead to violence, particularly as Musk and his supporters have publicly targeted government employees, judges, and their families.
That is another reason why she believes protests are a crucial form of resistance.
“I hope these demonstrations inspire people to take action locally while thinking globally,” Donovan concluded. “I think Musk has underestimated the power of state governments in the U.S. structure. There are many actions that state agencies can take to regulate and hold the federal government accountable.”
By: Nestor Castillo, ForAllTechNews Director