Elon Musk's Tesla dealership destroyed in fire in 'deliberate' attack

By Alice Scarsi, Deputy World News Editor, John Varga

Several cars were affected by the fire (Image: GOOGLE STREET VIEW)

A fire that broke out overnight at a Tesla dealership near Tolouse, France, destroyed eight vehicles and damaged four more. The incident happened in the early hours of Monday morning at 3.15am in the town of Plaisance-du-Touch, according to prosecutor's office. The officials say the fire was started deliberately, and have begun an investigation into "the destruction and damage of property belonging to others by dangerous means".

Protests against Elon Musk - the Telsa owner - have been on the rise, aftre he backed Donald Trump's campaign for President. The Telsa billionaire is heading up a new agency called the Department of Government Efficiency, which aims to slash federal sending. As part of those plans, thousands federal employess stand to be made redundant.

Musk's involvement in Doge and support of Trump has sparked a furious backlash across the US, with dozens of protests taking place in front of Telsa dealerships.

Protesters hope to discourage and stigmatize purchases of Tesla, the electric car company that is the world’s most valuable automaker.

“We can get back at Elon,” Nathan Phillips, a 58-year-old ecologist from Newton, Massachusetts, who was protesting in Boston on Saturday, told the AP news agency.

“We can impose direct economic damage on Tesla by showing up at showrooms everywhere and boycotting Tesla and telling everyone else to get out, sell your stocks, sell your Teslas.”

More than 50 demonstrations were listed Saturday on the website Tesla Takedown, with more planned later in March from coast to coast in the United States along with England, Spain and Portugal.

News reports showed demonstrations in recent days in US cities including Tucson, Arizona, St. Louis, New York City, Dayton, Ohio, Charlotte, and Palo Alto, California.

Some Tesla owners have also reported their vehicles vandalized with spray painted swastikas amid what Jewish groups and observers fears is a rise in anti-semitism.

The White House struck a defiant tone over the growing number of anti-Musk demonstrations, issuing a statment in support of both Musk and Trump.

“Protests will not deter President Trump and Elon Musk from delivering on the promise to establish DOGE and make our federal government more efficient and more accountable to the hardworking American taxpayers across the country,” said spokesperson Harrison Fields.