This weekend small but widespread protests have taken place at Tesla showrooms across the US criticising CEO Elon Musk for his perceived close relationship with Donald Trump.
The “TeslaTakeover” hashtag has been trending on alternative social media platform Bluesky this week, and protests have taken place in cities including New York, Berkeley, San Francisco, Minneapolis and Kansas City.
Musk’s activities as CEO of the Department of Government Efficiency since the start of the Trump presidency, notably his unsuccessful bid to buy Twitter, have been a recurring theme.
Some protestors have also highlighted Musk’s recent visit to Germany’s AfD party and concerns over his alleged links with far-right groups.
Musk’s supporters defend his actions by citing his focus on advancing technology to benefit humanity.
Tesla’s stock price has dropped by 21% since Trump’s inauguration, and some investors are reportedly concerned that Musk’s outside activities are impacting the company.