What do an adorable skunk and the rise of fascism have in common? Elon Musk, at least according to signs seen at yesterday’s Tesla protest in Columbus, Ohio. One protestor’s sign featured a cartoon skunk and the message “De-Musk America!” Others focused on Elon’s Nazism and his attacks on the democratic process. Together with ally Donald Trump, Musk has helped destabilize the U.S. economy, weaken its relationships with allies, and subject residents to increasing hardship and oppression. That’s without even touching on Musk’s Nazi salutes or AfD support, hence the protests in Columbus and beyond.
Tesla Protestors Denounce Musk in Columbus
Targeting showrooms and Teslas themselves is common, so it takes some creativity to make a sign stand out. Signs spotted in the crowd of 500+ at the Columbus, Ohio protest against Tesla and Musk were as clever as they were blunt. One featured a SpaceX / Dr. Strangelove-inspired drawing of the Tesla CEO riding a rocket into space. The caption? “Get Him Outta Here.” It seems neither Musk nor his swasticars are making any friends in Ohio these days.
A TikTok by fight.unite.for.all about the Tesla protest in Columbus revealed another big theme: congressional callouts. Some people are now regularly publicly shaming their elected representatives for aiding Trump. Both Republicans and Democrats have facilitated Trump and Musk’s rise to power in different ways. Liberals have a long history of offering fascists a seat at the table while helping suppress leftist resistance, which is precisely what Columbus and other parts of the U.S. have seen. As one sign at the protest put it,
Do We Have Senators or Spineless Invertebrates?
While U.S. politicians may be useless to the people, that doesn’t mean the resistance is small or powerless. American, Ukrainian, Palestinian, and LGBTQ pride flags were all on display at the Columbus Tesla protest. It’s a sign of just some of the groups that are united in solidarity against Elon Musk and the Trump admin.
