Protesters gathered at Tesla dealerships throughout Washington and dozens of other locations across the U.S. on Saturday in a coordinated protest against CEO Elon Musk's involvement in the federal government.
At the Tesla showroom in Seattle's University Village, hundreds of people were chanting shortly after 10 a.m. Police had blocked vehicle traffic near the showroom, which is in the popular outdoor shopping mall.
The electric vehicles once embraced by the left have become a political flashpoint for Musk, who has drawn criticism for sweeping cuts to the federal government. He is a special adviser to President Donald Trump as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.
"Dump Musk, dump Trump, give our country back to us," chanted protesters at University Village, many wearing costumes and carrying signs. They continued, as cars honked in support: "No Musk, no KKK, no fascist USA."
The protest started at the Tesla showroom but moved to an area by QFC on Northeast 45th Street to increase visibility, according to organizers.
A few protesters stayed back and demonstrated at the showroom, including Seattle resident Patrick McKee, 71. He came to protest in hopes of persuading people to stop buying Teslas and to speak out against Musk.
"(I'm here) today to push back on Elon Musk," he said. "He's unelected. He's the richest guy in the world, and he's taken it on himself to sort of gut my country. So I'm here to say, 'No, you can't do that.'"
The demonstrations are the latest action of the #TeslaTakedown campaign. The protests, according to a news release, began after Musk performed a straight-arm gesture at President Donald Trump's inauguration, which many interpreted as a Nazi salute. Musk brushed off the allegations.
U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Seattle, an outspoken opponent of Trump, encouraged attendees to continue protesting despite feelings of hopelessness.
"In cases where democracies fall, it's not elected officials in the government or institutions that save our democracy," she said in an interview. "It is actually the people who are coming out and really form a coordinated effective resistance. That is ultimately the thing that's going to make a difference. And so we all have to do everything we can."
Tesla spokespeople did not respond to a request for comment Saturday.
Protest organizers were aiming for action at 10 showrooms in Washington, including three in Seattle and two in Bellevue. The group planned protests at 213 locations around the globe.
More than 100 protesters marched at the Sodo showroom Saturday morning, and a crowd gathered at the showroom on Northeast 20th Street in east Bellevue.
University Village protester Gayle McDougal-Treacy, 73, said she's concerned about the nation's democracy becoming an oligarchy.
"The Constitution is being undermined and our rights are being taken away," said McDougal-Treacy, a Seattle resident. "People are being arrested for free speech. The oligarchs are taking over."
Organizers stressed that Saturday's demonstrations were aiming to be nonviolent, after Trump administration officials blasted recent vandalism of Tesla showrooms and vehicles, labeling the incidents "domestic terrorism." In recent weeks people have set fire to Teslas across the country, including in Seattle.
No criminal activity has been reported at anti-Tesla protests in Seattle, Sgt. Patrick Michaud, a spokesperson for the Seattle Police Department, said last week.
"The #TeslaTakedown movement has always been and will remain nonviolent," according to the activists' news release. "Their goal is to intimidate us into silence as we stand against Musk's destructive actions — but defending free speech is fundamental to democracy. We will not be deterred."
Seattle is no stranger to Tesla. About 66,700, or 3.6%, of Seattle-area homes owned at least one Tesla from 2023 to 2024. Tesla's stock plummeted after Musk began his DOGE cuts but rebounded some in the past two weeks.
Valerie Costa, 43, of Seattle, was among the protesters at University Village. She was recently harassed online by Musk and his supporters for her anti-Tesla organizing. She's been called a domestic terrorist online and fears for her safety. However, she was inspired by how much traction the movement has gotten.
"I think one of the beautiful things about living in the United States of America is we have a right to free speech," Costa said. "We have a right to express our disagreement with the government."
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