Tesla takedown protest at Tempe dealership rallies against Elon Musk

The group Superstition Rising Indivisible organized a protest outside a Tesla location in Tempe to highlight Elon Musk's influence over the company.

In an online call to action, the group voiced "deep concerns regarding Elon Musk's leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, and the detrimental impact of its recent actions on essential federal agencies."

The protest was part of Tesla Takedown protests, a movement decrying Musk's impact on national politics.

The protest took place March 22 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. outside the Tempe Tesla dealership. It was part of a broader series of demonstrations aimed at raising awareness about what organizers view as the misuse of Musk's influence.

The event posting emphasized that the protest was not against Tesla or its products but rather "specifically at Musk's role in implementing policies that undermine critical public services."

Global Day of Protest

The same group intends on returning for the Global Day of Protest slated for March 29.

The protest target is Musk, co-founder and chairman of Tesla, who still owns approximately 13% of the company.

"We're here because we want his hands off all of our stuff, all of our money," said Nancy Topoozian, the organizer of the protest. "We're here to protect the people that can't have the voice."

Throughout the event, approximately 50 protesters gathered, holding signs with slogans such as "Fire Musk" and "Elon is a Nazi." Some signs took a more creative approach, including "I saw a (Musk) rat" and "Take all the ketamine," while others emphasized resisting oligarchy and defending democracy.

Topoozian clarified that the protest was not against Tesla as a company but rather Musk's influence over it. She noted that many protesters were Tesla owners who opposed Musk's involvement in politics.

Though Musk's stocks have plummeted in recent weeks following multiple protests nationwide, protestors are still concerned about his stake in the company and his influence on federal funds.

"We just want the company- DOGE- to look at everything. If there's fraud, get rid of it, but we don't agree with just firing everybody," she said.

Tesla has become a symbol for Americans frustrated with Elon Musk and his efforts to shrink the federal government during his unelected role in former President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, expressed protesters.

Protesters have also criticized Musk for his influence on the presidential campaign and the right-wing shift of X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, which he purchased in 2022.

The DOGE cuts hit home for Topoozian, who was formerly an educator.

"I want to be the voice for those who are scared to be out here. I also want to make sure we're doing it peacefully. We want the real message to be out there," Topoozian said.

"We want Musk's pocket to start feeling like what he's doing to us"

Gail Graves, whose father always told her she had no right to complain unless she was actively working to improve the situation, emphasized the importance of action. “Everybody needs to know that they've got to get out and do something themselves. We have to show them how unhappy we are," she said.

She was joined by other protesters she met at a Bernie Sanders event, all sharing a common concern—that the wealthiest 1% are running the country at the expense of everyone else.

Graves, an independent voter, said she was denied entry to an Andy Biggs event last week after staff looked up her voting record. She wasn’t the only one turned away, she added.

"They were very open about it," said Graves. "They said, 'Republicans only.'"

Many of the concerns amongst the protestors were cuts to education, Social Security, and veterans' benefits.

Graves, a retired USPS worker, said she personally noticed the changes in how many arrive for the 'We Care Wednesdays' food drive at Mesa Community College where she volunteers. The cuts to benefits are a big part of that, she said.

Sophia Marjanovic, who has been leading the Tesla protests for the past month, said the goal is to hurt Musk financially as long as he continues to influence American politics.

"Elon Musk's wealth is in Tesla. He's already lost 200 billion dollars and he's still the richest man in the world," said Marjanovic. "If he keeps disrupting our government, we're going to continue disrupting his businesses."

"We want Musk's pocket to start feeling like what he's doing to us," Toopozian added.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Tesla takedown protest takes place at Temp dealership