Washington, DC [US], March 30 (HBTV): Protesters across the United States and Europe gathered outside Tesla dealerships on Saturday to oppose billionaire Elon Musk's involvement in the US government, Al Jazeera reported.

Musk, who heads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has faced criticism for his efforts to cut government spending and access sensitive data.

The protests, organised by a group including disgruntled Tesla owners, celebrities, and a Democratic lawmaker, aimed to pressure Musk to resign from his government position. Saturday’s demonstrations marked the first coordinated effort to target all 277 Tesla locations in the US, as per Al Jazeera.

In New York City, hundreds of protesters assembled outside the Manhattan Tesla store, demanding Musk’s resignation. These demonstrations coincided with a decline in Tesla sales, which organisers hope to exacerbate.

The protesters were mobilised by environmentalists from Planet Over Profit, who believe that ‘stopping Musk will save lives and protect our democracy.’

According to Al Jazeera, Amy Neifeld, a 70-year-old American psychologist who had not participated in protests since the anti-Vietnam War demonstrations in the 1970s, accused Musk of steering the US towards ‘fascism.’

‘I’m Jewish, and I grew up with a deep awareness of what fascism is. And it’s only gotten worse since the election’ of Donald Trump,’ she told AFP.

‘We have to do something very quickly because he’s moving very quickly,’ Neifeld added.

In London, about two dozen protesters held signs criticising Musk outside a Tesla dealership, with passing cars and trucks honking in support.

One sign at the London protest displayed a photo of Musk next to an image of Adolf Hitler making a Nazi salute—a gesture Musk has been accused of mimicking shortly after Trump’s January 20 inauguration.

Some opponents of Musk have escalated beyond protests, setting Tesla vehicles on fire and committing other acts of vandalism, which US Attorney General Pam Bondi has condemned as ‘domestic terrorism.’

Musk expressed bewilderment over the attacks during a March 20 company meeting, stating that the vandals should ‘stop acting psycho.’

(ANI)