Linda Koistinen and her husband Dale stood outside a Tesla dealership in Berkeley, California, on Saturday—not to protest the company’s electric vehicles, but to take a stand against its CEO, Elon Musk.
They joined others across the country in voicing their concerns over Musk’s role in dismantling key government institutions.
“It’s a place where we can make a visible stand against him personally,” Koistinen told the BBC. “He should not be deciding the fate of our democracy by disassembling our government piece by piece. It’s not right.”
The protest, part of an initiative dubbed Tesla Takeover, saw small gatherings outside Tesla showrooms nationwide. Many participants organized via Bluesky, a social media platform competing with Musk-owned X (formerly Twitter). Attendance varied—while some protests in Washington, D.C., Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, and Lyndhurst, Ohio, drew only a handful of demonstrators braving the winter cold, Berkeley saw around 200 people.
Signs held by demonstrators carried messages such as “Say No to Doge” and “Deport Musk”, referencing the White House-backed Doge (Department of Government Efficiency) initiative. Under this program, Musk-led teams have been combing through federal agencies, advocating deep budget cuts and clawing back previously allocated funds.
President Donald Trump, who received an unprecedented level of campaign contributions from Musk, has mirrored these efforts by imposing a federal hiring freeze and laying off thousands of government employees.
Musk argues that his initiative exposes government waste and aims to improve efficiency. However, critics accuse him of undermining government functions and making unilateral decisions that should be left to elected officials.
“It’s just really grinding on the mind,” said Dale Koistinen. “I’m 84 years old. This is unbelievable. This is a takeover of our government.”
Musk’s empire spans multiple industries, including SpaceX, Neuralink, and The Boring Company, but Tesla remains his most visible brand. As frustration over the Doge initiative grows, many Americans are calling for a boycott of Tesla products and stock.
Singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow joined the movement, sharing a video on Instagram of her Tesla being towed away.
“There comes a time when you have to decide who you are willing to align with,” she wrote. “So long, Tesla.”
She added that proceeds from the sale of her vehicle would be donated to National Public Radio (NPR), an organization frequently criticized by Musk.
Tesla’s stock surged after Trump’s election victory in November, boosted by Musk’s $250 million contribution to Trump’s re-election campaign. Musk also campaigned for Trump in the final days of the race. However, after hitting an all-time high in December, Tesla shares have plummeted 30% since Trump’s inauguration last month.
Saturday’s protests were promoted by disinformation researcher Joan Donovan and actor Alex Winter, best known for playing Bill in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure.
Among those joining the Berkeley demonstration was Teah Jackson, who happened upon the protest while out with her girlfriend.
“It’s hopeful,” she told the BBC. “It’s an acknowledgment that people aren’t going to go down without a fight and that they’re going to continue to push for what they believe in.”
