Since March, a wave of protests has overtaken University Village, where dozens gather each Tuesday and Saturday to express their anger towards Elon Musk and former President Donald Trump.
These demonstrations have notably grown, with early gatherings attracting up to 800 participants who carried signs and chanted slogans throughout the mall. More recently, attendance has stabilized around 120 individuals each week, who picket at the Montlake Boulevard and 45th Avenue Northeast entrance for two hours.
However, University Village is not the only site of dissent. Weekly protests are also underway at Tesla dealerships located in South Lake Union, Bellevue Square, Tacoma, and Lynnwood, among other locations across the U.S. and beyond.
The issues at hand are varied, with posters denouncing a range of topics, including the administration’s heightened focus on arresting undocumented immigrants and executive orders that threaten cuts to science, health, and education programs.
Yet, a significant portion of the protest signs specifically target Elon Musk and his most notable enterprise, Tesla. Protesters have labeled the vehicles as “Swasticars” and drawn comparisons between Musk and Nazi figures.
Criticism of Musk has mounted over recent years due to his escalating political engagement, which includes supporting Donald Trump and becoming the largest political donor in 2024. Following Trump’s election, Musk was appointed to a prominent role with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), designed to slash billions from various governmental programs. Critics argue that these cuts are detrimental to the most vulnerable populations.
Peter Weston, a member of Troublemakers—a group that organizes the University Village protests—shared, “Tesla is Elon Musk. We’re not mad at Teslas. Years ago, Teslas were purchased by people trying to do the right thing … One way to go after him is to go after his empire.”
Another organizer, Devin Hermanson, voiced his concerns over Musk’s political involvement and DOGE, leading him to establish the domain DefundMusk.com. This site has become a resource to help coordinate Tesla protests globally.
“He’s hurt a lot of people without any understanding of the lives he’s dismantling or the lives he’s hurting. He and Donald Trump, they only worship money. That’s what they respect and that’s how we’re able to fight back,” Hermanson stated.
In addition to the organized protests, individual Tesla owners have begun displaying protest stickers on their own cars, featuring slogans such as “Clean energy, not white supremacy” and “F Elon.” Some have gone as far as to “debadge” their Teslas by removing official logos, a symbolic act of dissent.
Washington State presents a unique backdrop for this movement, as Tesla ownership is notably high in Seattle, where electric vehicles dominate sales. According to a recent report, electric vehicles account for around 20% of new vehicle sales in the state, with a goal set for 35% of all new passenger vehicle sales to be electric. Historically, Tesla vehicles have led this market, with the majority of electric vehicle sales in Washington for years. However, there seems to be a noticeable shift; early 2025 data revealed that Tesla’s share of new car sales fell to 46%, a 35% drop from previous figures.
Sales figures for Tesla also reflect a broader trend; a 9% decline in U.S. sales in the first quarter of 2025 was noted, with even more significant decreases reported in international markets—46% in Germany and an alarming 62% in the UK.
Several factors have contributed to this downturn, according to Canary Media, including increased competition, a lack of new models, and the growing anti-Musk sentiment.
Though Musk announced he would step back from DOGE to concentrate on Tesla, organizers like Hermanson insist that the protests will continue.
“He’s still willing to plunge hundreds of millions of dollars into elections,” Hermanson remarked, emphasizing the dangers of Musk’s political influence and his threats to GOP candidates who diverge from the MAGA doctrine. “That kind of dynamic is absolutely fatal to our democracy.”
Among the attendees at the recent Tesla Takedown protest was Shelley Adams, who described how the recent election cycle and Trump’s return to office transformed her perception of Musk.
“I thought he was probably a great person prior to that. I really thought he was doing good work with electric cars,” Adams reflected, sharing that she had never participated in protests until feeling compelled to connect with others who echoed her disillusionment with the federal government and Trump’s administration.
Adams noted, “You watch the news, and it feels devastating, every day. And you come out to be with people who are protesting, and feel a little better.”
Weston of Troublemakers expressed that the sustained nature of the protests could hold valuable lessons on community engagement.
“That’s something I’m thinking about – how do we continue to engage these people and not lose them?” Weston pondered, recognizing a wave of new participants joining the protests for the first time.
Similarly, Blauvelt, who has become a committed protester after Trump’s re-election, now aligns with the Handmaids of Washington, a group that showcases their dissent by dressing as characters from The Handmaid’s Tale, a narrative that explores themes of totalitarianism and oppression.
Reflecting on her experiences, Blauvelt recounted attending university in South Africa while apartheid was alive, stating, “I can’t believe all these years later, that history is repeating itself.”
image source from：https://www.dailyfly.com/2025/05/26/is-washington-state-falling-out-of-love-with-tesla/
