Wearing sunglasses, gloves, a construction worker vest and a face mask covering mouth and nose, a demonstrator stood on the sidewalk before a Tesla dealership in Oakville, Ont., with a sign reading “Make Elon broke again” in his hands.
He declined to reveal his name for fear of potential retaliation by the U.S. Department of Justice, which considers anyone who perpetrates violent acts against Tesla properties a domestic terrorist.
“I think it’s ridiculous and a violation of the First Amendment rights in the United States,” he said. “The fact you can storm the Capitol on Jan. 6 and that’s not a crime, but basically choosing to boycott a product that no one necessarily needs, and that’s terrorism. That’s ridiculous.”
He was part of a group of protesters gathered at 225 Wyecroft Rd. at 10 a.m. March 25 to protest Elon Musk’s efforts to undermine U.S. democracy and his influence on the American government's relationship with Canada.
The protest was part of Tesla Takedown, a grassroots nonviolent movement across North America and Europe aimed at economically harming Musk by boycotting Tesla vehicles and divesting from the company's shares and stocks.
The group, comprised of eight to 10 people, shouted slogans and held up signs against the billionaire Tesla owner and the U.S. threat to annex Canada as its 51st state, while cars passing by honked to show support.
Alyssa Getz, the protest organizer, said U.S. President Donald Trump and Musk are propagating hateful ideas, and it’s vital that Canadians stand for themselves.
“We deserve to stay here, we deserve to have a voice,” she said. “They’re directly threatening our sovereignty with unwarranted tariffs, claiming Canada isn’t a real country. They’re putting Canadians in a state of anxiety.”
She said some people think Elon Musk promotes free speech in the U.S., but she thinks it’s the opposite.
“They’re kicking people out who oppose those ideals, and that’s absolutely not what free speech is about. They’re trying to silence the regular people who have worked hard for the benefits of the American government,” she said.
Getz said she hopes the protest might embolden and empower others through legal actions and make people avoid vandalism when taking to the streets.
“What’s happening in the States is a really good example of what can happen in Canada when people don’t value their vote,” she said. “We do have an upcoming election. It’s important to try to shape our country to what we want it to be.”
Thomas Cudmore, another protester, trespassed onto the dealership’s property a few minutes after the protest started and stood in front of the main entrance holding a sign.
After a while, police told him to leave and he was escorted off the property by two officers.
He said Musk is perpetuating Nazi ideals, influencing elections and threatening Canada’s democracy.
“We're seeing a complete replay of Hitler's Nazi Germany, and I don't even think they're trying to hide it. It's a big joke.
“The whole point of having a free society is the ability to protest. The idea that you would classify protesters as terrorism proves that I'm doing the right thing,” he said.
The demonstration in Oakville was the latest in a wave of protests that have popped up across Canada after beginning in the U.S. in early February. Recent protests against Tesla and Musk were held on March 22, in Kitchener, Ont, Langley, B.C., and Edmonton.
But along with the peaceful protests, acts of vandalism have also increased. Deep scratches were carved and tires were punctured on 80 Teslas at a Hamilton dealership on March 20.
The climate group Last Generation Canada spray-painted the exterior of a Tesla dealership in Montreal on March 19, while a car was set on fire in the parking lot of a mall in London, Ont., on March 17.
