The boycott campaign against Tesla is gaining momentum across the world, led by the Tesla Takedown initiative. This movement, which translates as "Dismantle Tesla," is preparing to organize a "global day of action" against the American manufacturer Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk. On Saturday, March 29, 2025, a day of action is calling for demonstrations in front of more than 500 Tesla sites around the world, primarily in the United States. Demonstrations have been multiplying across the Atlantic for several weeks, and discontent is beginning to spread to other countries, including Europe. In France, the website Libération mentions two planned actions: a demonstration in front of a Tesla supercharger in Beauvais (Oise) and the other in Paris, in the 8th arrondissement.
What is the Tesla Takedown movement?
"Sell your Teslas, drop your shares, join the mobilization" is the slogan of the Tesla Takedown movement. Rather than the famous electric car brand, the initiative is primarily aimed at Elon Musk, who is accused by his detractors of "destroying democracy". US President Donald Trump's right-hand man is under fire for his role in the administration and his influence, which has resulted in mass layoffs in the US civil service. The American billionaire's controversial remarks and his raised arm in a Nazi salute have also fueled growing hostility towards him.
Through the Tesla Takedown movement, protesters aim to drive down Tesla's stock price in order to weaken Elon Musk's influence. They encourage anti-Musk supporters to sell their Tesla vehicles, dump their shares, and participate in peaceful protests outside dealerships. The organizers emphasize the peaceful nature of the movement and explicitly condemn any form of violence, vandalism, or destruction of property, as violent attacks against Tesla have made headlines in recent weeks.
Faced with these actions, Donald Trump publicly supported his friend Elon Musk by transforming the White House into a Tesla dealership. The American president also pointed the finger at the actions against the car manufacturer, calling the perpetrators of vandalism "domestic terrorists". This statement did little to put out the fire surrounding Tesla, which is going through a difficult period.
Why is Tesla being targeted?
Despite itself, Tesla has become the favorite "victim" of the anti-Musk movement, even though Donald Trump's right-hand man is also behind SpaceX, X (formerly Twitter), xAI, Neuralink, The Boring Company, and Starlink. For journalist Edward Niedermeyer, one of the voices in the fight against Elon Musk, the electric vehicle brand is the world's richest man's weak point. In an interview with Nouvel Obs, he explains that "Elon Musk's financial vulnerability is one of the few levers we have.".
In ... href="https://www.liberation.fr/checknews/qui-se-cache-derriere-tesla-takedown-ce-mouvement-qui-organise-une-journee-mondiale-daction-contre-elon-musk-samedi-20250327_IES3PZVQGBANVF3RRNYH2LKPP4/">CheckNews, one of the figures of this movement, Alice Hu, specifies: "The demonstrators are also invited to gather in front of Tesla charging stations. There are thousands of them around the world, everyone lives close to a supercharger. This is also why we decided to target Tesla, one of Elon Musk's companies, rather than another of his companies, like Space X: it's simpler and more accessible." She adds that it is also "a way to directly impact Elon Musk's fortune, because he is the main shareholder."
Elon Musk's status as the world's richest man is largely due to Tesla's stock price, notes The Verge. He owns 13% of the company, making him the largest individual shareholder. As of today, the company is valued at $739 billion—down from $1.08 trillion earlier this year—meaning Musk's stake is worth around $96 billion.
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