Rome: An overnight fire at a Tesla dealership in Rome destroyed 17 cars, while in Sweden two dealerships and cars were also vandalised in the latest of a string of attacks against the company’s chief executive Elon Musk.
Italy’s special police unit Digos is leading an investigation looking into the possibility that anarchists set fire to the cars on the eastern outskirts of the Italian capital, a security source said.
Destroyed Teslas after a fire at a company’s dealership in Rome, Italy, on Monday.
Destroyed Teslas after a fire at a company’s dealership in Rome, Italy, on Monday.Credit: Bloomberg
Two Tesla stores and some cars were also vandalised in Sweden’s capital Stockholm and coastal city Malmo, several Swedish media outlets reported.
Tesla cars have become targets for vandalism across several countries in response to Musk’s right-wing activism and his influence as one of the US President Donald Trump’s closest advisers.
The tech tycoon, who also owns social media platform X, joined Trump’s administration and has come out in support of far-right parties in Europe. Musk is leading DOGE – a so-called Department of Government Efficiency, responsible for major cuts in US government spending and aid.
Tesla car dealership stands doused in blue paint following vandalism by activists of the group New Generation in Berlin, Germany.
Tesla car dealership stands doused in blue paint following vandalism by activists of the group New Generation in Berlin, Germany.Credit: Getty Images
Commenting in a post on X that made reference to the Rome fire, Musk used a single word: “terrorism”.
Drone images of the fire showed the burnt-out remains of cars lined up in a carpark.
The fire brigade said in a statement that the blaze broke out at around 4:30am on Monday, Rome time. The dealership was partially damaged, but nobody was injured.
Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, leader of the right-wing League party, also took to X to express his support for Musk. “Too much unjustified hatred against the Tesla car company,” he posted.
“The season of hate and conflict must come to an end as soon as possible. My solidarity goes out to Elon Musk and to all the workers who have been threatened and attacked,” Salvini said.
In Sweden, Orange paint was sprayed on a Tesla store in Malmo, public broadcaster SVT reported, adding police had detained four people and were investigating the motive behind their actions.
“A patrol was alerted to a store on Boplatsgatan due to someone painting a building and cars with orange paint,” the Malmo police said in an online statement, referring to a street near the city centre.
Largely peaceful “Tesla Takedown” protests targeting the marque’s dealerships have swept across North America and the world over the past month, but several instances of vandalism have been decried by the Trump administration as “domestic terrorism” in the US.
Reuters