NEWSLETTER
The organizers of “Tesla Takedown” have promised their greatest day of global action this weekend, encouraging thousands to protest outside the exhibition halls of Tesla, the concessionaires and even the collection stations of peacefully objecting the role of Elon Musk in the reduction of government expenditure.
As Tesla's protests have spread, so has the reaction done. Activists holding signs are combining with masked vandals that throw Molotov cocktails. In social networks and in Washington, the distinction is fading quickly.
President Donald Trump called the attacks against Tesla “domestic terrorism” and threatened to send “terrorist thugs” to prisons in El Salvador. The United States attorney general, Pam Bondi, has pledged to process “those who operate behind the scene to coordinate and finance these crimes”, although The evidence suggests The attacks were carried out by “solitary criminals.” And Musk's decision to accuse at least a Pacific protester of “<a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1898803819535819146″ target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener nofollow”>commit crimes“In x it has <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/MorePerfectUS/status/1903454875502989361″ target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener nofollow”>fed a public speech That is equivalent to protest with vandalism and vandalism with terrorism.
If the government or police begin to deal with all anti-tesla actions as criminals, peaceful protesters could find consequences for extremists.
“Terrorism is a problematic concept in the application of the law because, by definition, it differs from another violence due to its political nature,” Mike German, former FBI special agent in the National Freedom and Security program of the Brennan Center, told TechCrunch. “That is why we have seen anti -terrorist measures so often result in problematic results aimed at the civil rights of people who participate in the activity protected by the first amendment, instead of people who commit acts of violence.”
Tesla's demolition protesters have constantly preached non -violence in demonstrations and their website. The declared objective of the movement is not physically damaging Tesla or Musk, but encouraging people to sell their teslas, sell their shares and stop buying new teslas.
“The reason why (musk) is in the position in which it is due to its wealth, and we believe that if we can continue promoting that price of Tesla's shares, we will hit it in the place that matters,” said Natasha Purdum, an organizer based in New Jersey, to TechCrunch. “Ultimately, we see that as a key to eliminating some of the main destruction that is happening in our federal government, courtesy of Doge and Elon Musk.”
Musk is the richest person in large part due to its tesla stock. It has approximately 13% of the company, which today is valued at around $ 829 billion, which makes Musk's participation around $ 107.8 billion. This wealth has allowed Musk to spend $ 44 billion to buy twitter, the main platform he uses to communicate with his 219 million followers. Musk has also immersed himself in his own funds to donate more than $ 260 million to America Pac that helped Trump secure the elections.
As someone who spent 16 years as a special FBI agent focused on domestic terrorism, the German says that he would not be surprised to see the local police work in the glove with terrorism, such as working groups, as The one that has just formed the FBI – To monitor Tesla's demolition protests. By him Guidelines of the Attorney GeneralThe FBI does not require an objective basis for a suspicion of terrorism to start performing physical surveillance, which includes taking photos of people, cars and plates, displaying informants to infiltrate a group, access private databases and more.
“It is also important to understand that the police in the United States are mainly aimed at protecting the property of the rich,” German said. “Corporations in the United States are politically powerful and have access to elected officials and senior officials responsible for enforcing the law. And when their interests are challenged, particularly because of the protest, they want to present that as a problem of application of the law, instead of being legitimate public concerns about their corporate activities.”
The FBI declined to comment on TechCrunch's question about whether the agency is taking some special action this weekend.
“Let's go after them”
Musk and Trump administration have increased their rhetoric before March 29, when at least 213 Tesla's demolition protests are scheduled worldwide, from Colorado and Kentucky to Germany, Minnesota, France and Texas.
On Thursday, Musk appeared in the “special report” of Fox News to say that he and Trump are going to “go after … those who provide money, those who push lies and propaganda.”
Trump has suggested that the attacks against Tesla's property were coordinated to intimidate Musk, despite the fact that internal evaluations are found otherwise. Musk has also stated, without showing evidence, that certain organizers of Tesla's demolition were <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1898369343399899218″ target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener nofollow”>Financed by ActblueA non -profit organization that finances progressive causes and democratic candidates.
And Bondi accused the representative Jasmine Crockett (D-Tx) of “asking for greater insurrection” after Crockett said Musk needed to be “demolished” in a virtual rally by Tesla Takedown last week. Crockett expressed that statement with calls to non -violence and peaceful manifestations, but independently, Bondi said he needs “be careful. “
German says that this rhetoric is also an old government trick to try to discredit and suppress protest movements by claiming “a handful of acts of violence are the result of the dissemination of bad ideas, radical ideas.”
Purdum, one of Tesla's organizers, advised protesters to put their well -being first. Leave if you feel insecure, adhere to your local protest regulations, do not transparent, follow the police orders and have the number of a lawyer in your rear pocket just in case, she said.
“Authoritarian regimes have a long history of equating peaceful protest with violence,” said Stephanie Frizzell, an organizer of demolition of Tesla de Dallas. “Tesla's demolition movement has always been and will continue to be non -violent. Its goal is to intimidate in silence while we face Musk's destructive actions, but defending freedom of expression is essential for democracy. We will not be deterred.”
(Tagstotranslate) Doge
