FBI puts together Tesla task force as counter-protest violence ramps up

The FBI has launched a task force to address the violence against Tesla properties, which President Trump as labeled as “domestic terrorism.”

On the other side, counter-protestors against peaceful Tesla protestors protected under the US Constitution are also getting violent.

Every week for the last month, there have been significant protests at Tesla locations worldwide, but especially in the US, where many see it fair to boycott Tesla for being Elon Musk’s personal piggy bank to finance Trump and what they see as the rise of fascism in the US.

Separately, there have been violent demonstrations against Tesla, including vandalizing Tesla locations, burning cars, and sabotaging charging stations.

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Most of the time, these acts of vandalism are handled by local law enforcement, but we noted that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been getting involved in local cases since the beginning.

President Trump and his Attorney General have designated any vandalism against Tesla, a company under the control of Elon Musk, Trump’s biggest political donor, as “domestic terrorism” to put the investigations into the FBI’s jurisdiction.

This week, the media reported that the FBI created a task force specifically to address the Tesla vandalism. Director Kash Patel confirmed it:

The FBI has been investigating the increase in violent activity toward Tesla, and over the last few days, we have taken additional steps to crack down and coordinate our response. This is domestic terrorism. Those responsible will be pursued, caught, and brought to justice.

On the other side of the coin, there have been counter-protestors going after legal peaceful Tesla protests that have become violent.

Yesterday, we reported on a self-proclaimed Trump supporter who tried to use a taser against peaceful Tesla protestors in California.

In Florida, a man was also arrested for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill for driving onto the curb and toward a crowd of Tesla protestors. He reportedly drove in front of the protestors earlier and yelled at them.

Electrek’s Take

It’s hard to take this seriously as the Trump administration appears to take vandalism against Tesla stores more seriously than vandalism against the United States Capitol Building, considering Trump pardoned all the January 6 insurrectionists.

Even if you don’t want to call them insurrectionists, you have to, at the very least, consider them vandals.

Now, I have consistently condemned any violence and vandalism against Tesla and its property, but I think if the FBI wants to get involved, it should also look into counter-protesters getting violent.

This is a serious issue.