This weekend, a protest outside a Tesla store in Florida took a shocking turn.
A 44-year-old man, Andrew Tutil, was arrested after allegedly trying to drive his SUV into a crowd of protestors outside a Tesla store in West Palm Beach.
The incident is just the latest in a growing wave of anti-Tesla protests and vandalism sweeping across the U.S., all tied to Elon Musk’s increasing political influence.
He Drove Into a Crowd—Then Claimed to Be a Tesla Employee
The event happened around 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, with roughly 150 protestors gathered outside the store.
According to witnesses, Tutil slowly drove his Nissan Pathfinder toward the crowd, eventually parking on the sidewalk—forcing protestors, many of them senior citizens, to jump out of the way.
“He drove into a crowd of senior citizens,” said protestor Mark Offerman.
“Two older women were almost clipped. We immediately called the cops.”
After exiting his car, Tutil claimed he was a Tesla employee and blamed the incident on a supposed malfunction of his brakes and electronics.
However, police weren’t buying it. After reviewing witness statements, photos, and video footage, authorities arrested Tutil and charged him with first-degree felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
But This Is Bigger Than One Man in an SUV
The situation in Florida isn’t an isolated case. It’s part of a much larger, nationwide movement targeting Elon Musk and Tesla.
The protests began in January, after Musk made headlines for two controversial events:
- Performing what appeared to be a Nazi salute at Donald Trump’s inauguration (which Musk denies).
- Speaking at a far-right rally for Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, where he said:
“There’s too much focus on past guilt—we need to move beyond that.”
That quote was widely seen as a reference to Nazi Germany, and it sparked outrage around the world.
Welcome to the “Tesla Takedown” Movement
Since then, a movement known as the “Tesla Takedown” has launched, organizing over 500 protests at 277 Tesla stores across the U.S.
The West Palm Beach protest was just one of many happening in Florida alone, with similar events taking place in Jacksonville, Gainesville, Merritt Island, and Sarasota.
But it’s not just about Elon Musk’s controversial gestures. Protestors are raising serious concerns about his growing influence in U.S. politics, especially as Musk begins working with Trump’s newly launched “government efficiency” division.
Why Are Protestors So Angry?
Here’s a snapshot of what protestors are saying:
- “I’m highly concerned that our Constitution is being ignored,” said a protestor in Colorado.
- Others pointed to Musk and Trump’s anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, policies affecting trans and non-binary people, and alleged support for Russia’s Putin over Ukraine’s Zelenskyy.
It’s a wide range of issues—but to many protestors, Elon Musk has become the face of it all.
Peaceful Protests… With a Violent Twist
While most of these protests have been peaceful, violent incidents are on the rise:
- Tesla stores have been vandalized with graffiti and even set on fire.
- One store in Oregon was shot at twice.
- In Seattle, two Cybertrucks were burned in a suspected arson attack.
- Tesla owners have also been targeted—caught on Sentry Mode cameras being keyed or harassed.
The FBI Is Now Involved
The Trump administration has begun labeling some of these attacks as “domestic terrorism.”
The FBI is now investigating several incidents, including:
- The Seattle Cybertruck arson
- The Oregon store shooting
- Other coordinated acts of vandalism targeting Tesla
With tensions rising and protests growing in size and number, authorities fear more serious violence could follow.
Musk’s Response: Denial, Jokes, and Backlash
Elon Musk has mostly dismissed the accusations, sometimes even joking about the Nazi salute claims.
He was initially defended by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). But even the ADL has since criticized Musk for recent posts, including one where he reposted and later deleted a claim that “Stalin, Mao, and Hitler didn’t murder millions—their public sector workers did.”
The ADL responded:
“It is deeply disturbing and irresponsible for someone with a large platform to spread this kind of rhetoric.”
Should Tesla stores increase security? Do you think Musk’s political involvement is fueling the backlash? Share your thoughts in the comments below.