Tesla Takeover: How Protesters are Mobilizing Against Elon Musk on Bluesky

In the midst of Elon Musk's aggressive efforts to streamline the federal government, a grassroots movement is gaining momentum to challenge his actions through public protest. This weekend, Tesla showrooms across the country will be the site of the "Tesla Takeover" - a series of demonstrations organized by disinformation researcher Joan Donovan and documentary filmmaker Alex Winter on the decentralized social platform Bluesky.

The impetus for the protests came when Donovan saw small initial protests outside Tesla stores in Maine last week. Inspired, she began posting on Bluesky, writing "If Musk thinks he can speed run through DC downloading personal data, we can certainly bang some pots and pans on the sidewalks infront [sic] of Tesla dealerships" and using the hashtag #TeslaTakeover. Winter, who has collaborated with Donovan in the past, reached out to help organize the effort.

Through their coordination on Bluesky, the protests have quickly spread, with over 40 events now planned in cities across the U.S. including Austin, Portland, Seattle, Kansas City, and Mesa, Arizona. Winter says hundreds of people have already RSVP'd, and he's even heard from those planning international demonstrations.

The protesters have multiple motivations. Fundamentally, they are outraged by Musk's aggressive actions to dismantle federal agencies and access sensitive government data. As Donovan explains, "Musk is really leveraging the fact that many Americans are ignorant of how the government actually works" to spread misinformation. She fears this could lead to violence against civil servants.

But the protesters also see an opportunity to hurt Musk where it matters most - his wallet. As the majority shareholder of Tesla, Musk's net worth is heavily tied to the company's stock price. By staging large-scale protests that could damage Tesla's brand and depress its share price, the organizers hope to force Musk to renegotiate loan terms on the billions he has borrowed against his Tesla holdings.

"The long goal is to devalue, to create a vote of no confidence in the company's future, and to prompt a widespread selling of shares, which would legitimately hurt him," Winter says.

Beyond the financial impact, the protesters also view the demonstrations as a chance to educate the public and build community resistance. Donovan hopes the events will inspire people to find "other more local ways to resist" Musk's influence.

With the Tesla Takeover set for this weekend, the stage is set for a high-stakes showdown between citizens and the world's richest man. The outcome could have major implications not just for Musk's business empire, but the future of American democracy itself.