Protesters decry 'assault on democracy' at anti-Tesla rally in Ottawa
Rally against CEO Elon Musk one of many held on 'global day of action'
The snow and freezing rain hitting Ottawa on Saturday couldn't stop Nancy Wasserman and others from protesting against Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
The rally, one of many held on what's been dubbed "Tesla Takedown's Global Day of Action," drew dozens of people to the sidewalk outside the Tesla showroom on Carling Avenue, where they carried signs and attracted honks of support from passing drivers.
"I think it speaks to the way that Canadians are really appalled by what's going on with our neighbours to the south," said Wasserman, who helped organize the Ottawa event.
It's the latest in a string of protests against the rhetoric from the U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, which Musk is closely tied to.
"Not pushing back against this would be amoral. It's just that serious. [It's an] assault on democracy that's happening right now," said Wasserman.
Protesters at the rally said their concerns lie with Musk supporting Trump's statements about making Canada the 51st U.S. state, something Trump has been teasing since before his inauguration on Jan. 20.
Under Trump's administration, Musk also now heads the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, which has cut thousands of federal positions in recent weeks.
"Musk is helping to overthrow democracy in the U.S. [and he] also has fascist leanings and he's interfering in elections all over the place. So I feel strongly that we should come out and help take down Tesla," said Ella Heyder, an American expat who attended the protest.
With similar gatherings taking place around the world on Saturday, protester Jay Baltz said he hoped it would increase the backlash against Musk — perhaps resulting in the price of Tesla stock dropping even further or sales of Tesla vehicles continuing to plunge.
"There aren't a lot of things that get Alberta and Quebec on the same side," Baltz said. "And so this has united Canada like nothing I've seen before for quite a while."
Another rally to push back against Trump and Musk is set to be held next Saturday at the U.S. Embassy.
"Certainly my hope is that the U.S. will return to its democratic roots and that the friendship that existed for decades between the U.S. and Canada will come back," Wasserman said.
"But I think the last two months have shown us that a lot can happen in a very, very short time."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
