A group of activists in the UK held a protest against US billionaire Elon Musk by smashing a Tesla car in south London on Friday.
An organisation called Everyone Hates Elon organised the action to draw attention to the problem of wealth inequality. Gathered at Hardess Studios in the southern part of the British capital, the protesters took turns hitting the car with sledgehammers and baseball bats, smashing it into pieces.
The damaged car will reportedly be auctioned off within weeks, with the proceeds going to charity.
According to a spokesperson for the group, the 2014 Tesla Model S car was donated by an anonymous benefactor in order to launch a public discussion about social and wealth inequality.
In recent weeks, a wave of protests against Tesla Corporation, which is owned by entrepreneur and, more recently, head of the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Elon Musk, has swept across the US, Canada and Europe.
Flash mobs against Musk and his business originated at the beginning of the year and were called Tesla Takedown. Initially, the protests were peaceful. However, in March, the demonstrations began to be accompanied by vandalism of the company’s electric cars, dealerships and Tesla property, as well as clashes with police and arrests.
On March 1, about 300 people took part in a protest outside Tesla’s flagship showroom in New York City. At first, the demonstrators remained outside holding a peaceful picket, but then a group of activists forced their way inside and smashed display cases.
On 3 March, Musk’s opponents set fire to Tesla’s representative office in France. As a result, eight of the brand’s cars were completely burnt down and four more were seriously damaged. The damage was estimated at more than €700,000.
