Demonstrators opposite Tesla Corporation, specifically focusing on CEO Elon Musk, now direct their actions towards Musk's Tesla Diner establishment.
In the bustling Hollywood area of Los Angeles, Elon Musk's latest venture, the Tesla Diner, has opened its doors to the public. However, the retro-futuristic diner, complete with electric vehicle-charging stations and Cybertruck-designed burger boxes, has been met with protests from a group called "Tesla Takedown."
The protests, which have remained strong, are primarily driven by political and social grievances against Musk himself and his broader actions. Organisers of groups like Tesla Takedown criticise Musk for being an anti-trans advocate and accuse him of funding fascism through his involvement with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a Trump-era initiative that aimed to cut government funding in areas such as social security, healthcare, national parks, and education.
Protesters have used giant inflatable Elon Musk effigies performing Nazi salutes, referencing Musk’s controversial public behaviour and political associations, to highlight their view of Musk as a promoter of fascist or authoritarian conduct.
Apart from political issues, local residents in Hollywood complain about traffic congestion, safety hazards, constant honking, and lack of parking caused by the diner’s 24/7 operation and its location, which has upset neighbourhood quality of life.
The protests and negative media attention coincide with a significant drop in Tesla’s sales and stock value. Tesla’s stock price reportedly fell 50% from December 2024 to March 2025, illustrating a tangible impact on the company’s market performance possibly linked to the public backlash against Musk’s political activities and the Tesla brand overall.
Given the protests centre largely on Musk as an individual and his controversial political affiliations, the brand association with these issues seems to have hurt Tesla’s reputation among certain consumer segments and investor confidence. Sales of Tesla’s more expensive models, including the Cybertruck, plunged 52%, while sales of the Model Y and Model 3 fell 12% compared with a year ago. Overall revenue was down 12%, according to Tesla’s earnings report.
In a second-quarter earnings call, Musk reaffirmed ambitious plans for the company’s robotaxi service and mass production of Optimus. However, it remains to be seen how these plans will fare in the face of ongoing protests and negative public sentiment.
For now, the Tesla Diner protests continue to gather momentum, with forty protests planned on the Tesla Takedown website for the weekend. The organisers, led by Joel Lava, plan to protest the diner after it abruptly opened on Monday, maintaining that Tesla funds fascism and that Elon Musk’s actions have destroyed jobs and government agencies, leading to deaths around the world.
[1] Tesla Takedown website [2] Los Angeles Times [3] CNN [4] Bloomberg
- The Tesla Takedown website, along with various news outlets like the Los Angeles Times, CNN, and Bloomberg, have criticized Elon Musk's involvement with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), highlighting concerns about his funding of fascism and political associations.
- The ongoing protests against the Tesla Diner in Los Angeles, driven largely by political grievances against Elon Musk, have reportedly affected Tesla's business and finance, with notable decreases in sales and stock value for the company's more expensive models, including the Cybertruck, as mentioned in the Tesla earnings report.
