Close to 150 protestors gathered outside a Tesla dealership at 1200 Skokie Blvd., Northbrook, on Saturday targeting Tesla CEO Elon Musk and his involvement with President Donald Trump’s administration and the Department of Government Efficiency.
The protest was held in tandem with other protests at Tesla dealerships and showrooms across the country, which organizers dubbed a “Tesla Takedown” for a National Day of Action, according to the Northbrook protest’s organizer, Robert Drewry of Wilmette. Similar protests have taken place in other suburbs, as well as Chicago.
Much of Musk’s estimated $340 billion net worth is tied to the electronic vehicle company, according to the Associated Press. Tesla has experienced a slump in sales of used cars, for at least a month, according to reporting from the Chicago Tribune.
“We’re not here to protest (electric vehicles) in general,” Drewry said. “It’s because of the person who is running the company, and his connection to the U.S. government and his organization that is turning out all of the things that we take for granted in a functioning government. That’s really what the anger is about.”
In the first two months of Trump’s second term, DOGE officials have embarked on a sweeping push to downsize the U.S. government, from cutting thousands of federal job to initiating the dismantling of federal agencies.
Drewry said he has been protesting for three weeks at the Northbrook location. He said while he hasn’t arranged any official partnerships with other groups, members from other grassroots organizations, including Indivisible Chicago, Indivisible Skokie, Lake County Democrats and the Women’s Club of Wilmette have joined the protests over time.
Tesla Takedowns have also occurred at a Tesla dealership in Libertyville, per previous reporting. “Despite the wealthy affluence that’s here, there’s a lot of people who are very, very frustrated with the way things are going with government right now,” Drewry said.
Some Tesla dealerships in the U.S. have been the victim of physical attacks, unlike Northbrook’s relatively docile demonstration.
“I don’t think there’s really a connection…between the protesters here and someone doing vandalism to the dealerships,” Drewry said.
Sarah Mohr, a first-time protestor for any cause, explained why she participated in the protest. “I’m very frustrated that Elon Musk has got as much power as he does with our government, because nobody elected him. And I just think, I think a lot of the things that he’s doing are extremely detrimental to our country.”
