According to Interesting Engineering, the cars were set on fire Friday night, and the incident has raised concerns about politically motivated attacks as similar attacks have been happening across the United States. German police reported that the first fire was reported at around 1:40 am local time and then the other fires were then reported early on Friday morning. Nobody was injured as the cars were burned, and five other vehicles nearby the Teslas had minor damage.
An investigation into the arson attack has been launched by the State Security Division of the Berlin State Criminal Police Office, a unit that specializes in terror threats, organized crime, as well as extremism.
Suspects have not been identified in the case as of Saturday, and this comes as violent attacks similar to the one in Berlin have been taking place in other locations around the world since Musk started working with the Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). In Germany, anti-Musk sentiments have been pronounced as he has supported the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
Across the United States, Teslas have been vandalized in different locations. In Oregon, "more than a dozen" bullets were fired into a Tesla dealership, according to ABC News. The dealership has been vandalized two times in the past week.
Cybertrucks were also vandalized in Dedham, Massachusetts, where suspects spray painted on the cars and the tires were slashed. Tesla charging stations, as well, have been a target. A man set himself on fire as he threw Molotov cocktails at a charging station in Charleston, South Carolina.
Other incidents have not been as violent, where protesters have gathered outside of Tesla dealerships, labeling Musk a Nazi as well as chanting that he as well as Trump are fascists. Many of these protests at the dealerships, however, have been found to be connected to left-wing activist groups, which Musk said have been funded by ActBlue.
