Anger at Trump ally Elon Musk sparks protest at Saskatoon Tesla dealership
Organizers say protest is peaceful, not targeting Tesla owners
Jason Hanson owns an electric vehicle, but says he doesn't have much else in common with Tesla owner Elon Musk.
Hanson helped organize a Saturday afternoon protest outside a Tesla dealership in Saskatoon's Stonebridge neighbourhood. Similar events at dealerships were planned for Saturday in cities across Canada.
"I'm actually an EV owner, so I support electric vehicles, but when Elon Musk's wealth is used as a way to exert power over entire countries, I think we have an obligation to come out here and protest the existence of this company," Hanson told reporters during the protest, calling Musk — a close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump who also heads up the newly created Department of Government Efficiency — a bully and a plutocrat.
"We can't protest Donald Trump right now because he doesn't have a Trump Tower in Saskatoon," said Hanson. "So this is the next closest thing."
Protests were also planned for Ottawa, Montreal, Winnipeg, Halifax and B.C.'s Lower Mainland on a day dubbed the Tesla Takedown's Global Day of Action.
Controversy has followed Musk since becoming head of the newly created U.S. department, including criticism for his public support for the far-right Alternative for Germany party and laying off thousands of federal workers.
In recent months, Tesla stock lost billions of dollars in value for investors and sales have dropped across the world after reports of vandalism targeting Tesla-made electric cars and the Cybertruck.
In Canada, Musk has won few fans following his support for Trump's suggestions of annexing Canada, with an NDP member of Parliament launching a petition calling for Musk's dual-citizenship status and Canadian passport to be revoked.
Some provinces, including B.C. and Manitoba, have also said they'll remove Tesla products from EV rebates.
The federal NDP has also suggested a tariff on Tesla vehicles. Hanson said he supports doing that to send a message, but he doesn't want any public ire directed at local Tesla owners.
"This protest is peaceful, nonviolent [and] is 100 per cent directed at Elon Musk and his actions," Hanson said.
"We don't have any issues with existing Tesla owners, the employees that work there. It's not their fault that he went full Bond villain on people, and we don't want any animosity directed at them at all."
Brendan Newton was one of a few dozen protestors at the dealership. He recently moved to Saskatoon from Kentucky.
"Even visiting my family is becoming harder, because what's going to happen when we go back home — is my partner going to get detained by ICE?" he said, referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
"[This protest] hopefully will show opposition to these kinds of policies, and show that they're not being normalized and show that Canadians and people worldwide are not going to just sit down and be OK with the rising tide of far right, even fascistic, ideologies."
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With files from Luigi Wahmereungo Palmieri