BERKELEY, Calif. — Over 1,000 demonstrators filled the street in front of a Tesla dealership Saturday in this Bay Area city synonymous with the free speech movement of the late 1960s, to voice their displeasure with Elon Musk’s efforts to dramatically scale down the federal workforce.
“This whole thing about an unelected person doing so much damage to the federal government… I really wanted to come out,” Esther Hill, 66, a retired former employee of the Environmental Protection Agency, told Yahoo News. “I know how much good is being done by these so-called federal bureaucrats.”
A week ago, just 200 people turned out for Berkeley’s “Tesla Takedown” protest, where a Trump supporter brandished a taser at demonstrators before being arrested. At this week’s protest, which was part of what organizers dubbed a “Global Day of Action,” police closed off traffic on the block of Fourth Street where the Tesla showroom is located.
“I believe in the people’s right to express themselves,” an officer, who declined to be interviewed for this article, was heard telling a protester.
The Tesla dealership locked its doors shortly before noon, as hundreds of protesters, most of whom appeared to be over the age of 55, began gathering on the sidewalk. Soon, they overflowed into the street, carrying signs showing Musk giving what appeared to be a Nazi salute and encouraging people to stop buying Teslas.
A similar scene played out at Tesla protests at 253 locations around the world, a marked increase from the number of demonstrations in previous weeks, organizers said. In the U.S., that meant bigger crowds at dealership demonstrations in places like New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, Dallas, St. Louis, Chicago, Palm Beach County, Fla., and dozens more.
“If you got a CyberTruck, you’re an a**hole,” Michael Wong, 59, told Yahoo News. “You knew what he was by the time that came out. I know that people bought Teslas for a reason — to be ecologically beneficial — and I don’t begrudge them that, but I think if you’re still buying one and helping to line his pockets then you’re really being unconscionable.”
In recent weeks, a spate of vandalism and sometimes violent protests of Musk’s role in President Trump’s government has occurred nationwide. Two weeks ago, the FBI issued an alert warning that acts of vandalism, including gunfire, have occurred at Tesla dealerships in at least nine states. The FBI warned citizens to “exercise vigilance” and to “look out for suspicious activity” on or around dealership locations. Last week, the agency announced it was creating a task force to investigate recent attacks on the company.
Musk himself vowed this week to “go after” those who he blames for “pushing the propaganda” that he says has led to violence against his company. But Saturday’s demonstration in Berkeley was decidedly peaceful.
“I’d like to see 5,000 people here. We need a swell of people and action, or we’re going to lose everything,” Wayne Bendell, 62, told Yahoo News.
While Musk has justified federal job cuts as a way to try to address the national debt, Bendell sees another motivation.
“I am 100% against what is going on in Washington, and I believe that Elon Musk is primarily responsible for most of what’s going on,” he said. “His intent is to erode the underpinnings of democracy.”
That sentiment was repeated by many people that Yahoo News spoke with in Berkeley.
“I’ve been protesting for about 40 years,” said Joyce Rybandt, 81. “I never imagined that we could lose our country, and now I’m not so sure. I hope these protests grow.”
Now in their sixth week, the Tesla Takedown protests will give way next week to nationwide demonstrations planned on April 5, titled “Hands Off!” The question is whether any of the protests will grow so large that the Trump administration is unable to ignore them.
“It’s definitely bigger today than it has been,” Wong said of Saturday’s rally, adding that he is frustrated that “Congress is giving away their power willingly.”
“Who’s going to stop him at this point? We don’t want to see violent conflict happening, but that may be what it comes to,” he added.
