Anti-Musk activists are missing the mark by burning Teslas | Opinion

There was a time when climate activists would’ve tossed environmentally friendly confetti in the air to see a sitting president buy an electric vehicle, as President Donald Trump recently said he would. But this is not that time. Instead, climate activists are now protesting Tesla, the electric vehicle company.

Using the hashtag #TeslaTakedown, activists and regular citizens have been organizing protests at Tesla showrooms to protest the actions of Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.

As someone who has written extensively on climate activism in the form of vandalism — including soup on paintings, blocked roads at Burning Man and throwing cake on the CEO of RyanAir to protest carbon emissions— I think setting Teslas on fire as another counter-productive activity, one that may be veering dangerously close to domestic terrorism.

While I support the First Amendment and appreciate people gathering to protest, I draw the line at using spray paint and Molotov cocktails to prove a point, as these anti-Musk activists have been doing.

The individuals arrested recently in Colorado, Las Vegas and South Carolina aren’t acting in a coordinated way, according to reports. Still, experts like Spencer Evans, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Las Vegas field office, say the attacks — including setting vehicles on fire and spray-painting epithets — have “some of the hallmarks” of domestic terrorism.

Bruce Hoffman, senior fellow for counterterrorism and homeland security at the Council on Foreign Relations, told NPR, “It’s absolutely domestic terrorism. I know that may discomfort many people. But vandalism is a crime that if it’s committed with a political motive, can certainly be defined as terrorism.”

The irony of these attacks is obvious. They aim to tank Tesla and, with it, Musk. Yet Tesla is selling electric vehicles that have been embraced by environmentalists in their crusade to solve the climate crisis. Setting one on fire, and damaging the environment by doing it, is working against the protesters’ self-interest.

After Attorney General Pam Bondi, one of the Floridians tapped by Trump for an administration job, announced on March 18 that people who are arrested for committing acts of violence on Teslas would be labeled as domestic terrorists, Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis followed up on March 20 with his own press release saying anyone who vandalized or set a Tesla on fire could face up to 30 years in jail. It’s unclear whether Patronis, as state fire marshal, has that authority but it’s certainly quite a threat, especially in a state that has seen a handful of protests — at dealerships in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami — but no acts of vandalism against Teslas.

As Kansas City Star National Opinion Columnist David Mastio pointed out recently, the problem with arson and vandalism in this particular case is that “the average onlooker doesn’t see a nuanced critique of Musk’s politics,” but only sees more carbon emissions with each Tesla set alight.

In other words, when activists resort to destruction, the focus shifts from their cause.

If the goal is to hold Musk accountable and hurt Tesla’s bottom line, these activists should be pursuing meaningful engagement, not destructive action. Economic pressure through purchasing power, selling off stocks and strategic boycotts will send a clear message and can have a real impact. So could encouraging companies with Tesla fleets to switch brands through organized boycotts. For example, the local ride-share service Freebie uses Teslas. Call on them to consider another EV brand.

It’s one thing to oppose Musk’s actions and role in U.S. politics. It’s another to set Teslas on fire to make a short-sighted political statement. If Tesla takedown activists want to make a real impact — and stop undermining their own mission — they should start with returning their Teslas and boycotting the company.

Mary Anna Mancuso is a member of the Miami Herald Editorial Board. Her email: mmancuso@miamiherald.com

This story was originally published March 26, 2025 at 11:19 AM.