Tesla Boycott Movement Widens, Showrooms Raided Everywhere
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia –The Tesla boycott movement is getting worse and more widespread. Tesla showrooms in various states in the United States (US) were raided by hundreds of demonstrators.
The Tesla boycott action is suspected of several factors. One of them is that many have criticized the massive cuts in the federal government carried out by the Government Efficiency Agency (DOGE) under Musk’s leadership.
The attacks on Tesla showrooms were initially only a handful. However, this action spread after Attorney General Pam Bondi vowed to take action against vandalism against Tesla. US President Donald Trump also said the action was domestic terrorism. In fact, Trump said the Tesla boycott action was illegal.
In addition to criticism of government budget cuts, Musk was also criticized after a controversial pose at Trump’s inauguration which was said to resemble a Nazi ‘salute’. Musk’s political stance supporting the German right-wing party and baseless accusations against British politicians also added to the public’s hatred of the richest man in the world.
The demonstrations are part of the “Tesla Takedown” movement that began on February 15 against Musk’s electric vehicle company.
The protest movement was started by Hollywood actor and filmmaker Alex Winter and Joan Donovan, an assistant professor of Journalism and New Media Studies at Boston University.
DOGE has cut thousands of U.S. government employees, and is proposing a downsizing that would result in a nearly 20% reduction in its workforce by May 15.
More than 80 demonstrations were scheduled for the weekend, with more than 70 planned through the end of April, according to the Tesla Takedown website.
Tesla Takedown is a movement that calls on people to sell their Tesla cars, dump their stocks and join the movement.
In the Boston suburb of Dedham, about 100 demonstrators gathered at a Tesla showroom. The Philadelphia suburb of West Chester had a similar number of demonstrators.
Baltimore saw one of the largest demonstrations, with up to 300 demonstrators. Meanwhile in Washington, DC, more than 50 protesters gathered at noon outside a showroom, holding signs and dancing to songs by Beyonce and Daft Punk as passing drivers honked their horns in support.
Sara Steffens, a former journalist and policy advocate, said she and Melissa Knutson, an entrepreneur, turned the demonstration into a dance party.
Knutson said she wanted to emulate the music she saw at a rally in Maryland.
“We have to be happy because this is a long journey, and we have to grow our movement to fight this authoritarianism,” Knutson was quoted as saying by CNN, Tuesday (3/18/2025).
Musk’s Involvement in US Government Damages Tesla’s Reputation
Negative opinions about Musk are slowly damaging Tesla’s reputation. The head of the Edmunds automotive site, Jessica Caldwell, said the negative attention could also make consumers think more and consider EV options from brands other than Tesla.
Caldwell said Tesla’s market share had been weakening before the protests, as many automakers have introduced new electric vehicles to the market.
“I imagine some (Tesla investors) are hoping that this is a short-term blip and that things will smooth out in the future,” he said. “It’s hard to say at this point,” he added.
He said it’s too early to say whether Tesla owners will be willing to sell their vehicles because of Musk’s criticism.
“Not everyone is in a position to make that decision,” he said.
Starlink Boycott Begins
Most recently, Starlink has also been affected. The satellite-based internet aims to connect people in remote areas that are not covered by cellular and broadband networks. Currently, Starlink still dominates the satellite internet service industry, but is slowly being abandoned.
Quoted from The Guardian, many users who subscribe to Starlink have shown frustration with Musk’s political stance. In fact, quite a few have committed to stopping using Starlink altogether.
Barry Nisbet, a Scottish violinist whose business in Shetland combines music with sailing, cited Musk’s controversial salute at Trump’s inauguration as one of the reasons he left Starlink, even though it was detrimental to him.
“I’ve long been uncomfortable with Musk and his role in the US election. The monopoly [of Musk’s business] also really bothers me,” Nisbet said, quoted from The Guardian.
The rise in users leaving Starlink in Europe is the right momentum for European-made satellite internet services that can be used as an alternative. Eutelsat from France suddenly experienced a 500% surge in stock value since the dispute between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Eutelsat CEO told Bloomberg that its service will replace Starlink in Ukraine in the coming months. Britain’s Viasat is also reportedly in talks with European governments to replace Musk’s Starlink.
SOURCE : CNBC INDONESIA
