A crowd of angry protesters descended on Tesla’s Palo Alto property today, furious about Elon Musk’s role in the Trump administration. The demonstrators didn’t hold back, accusing Musk of gutting federal agencies and slashing jobs while calling for someone to hold him accountable.
Man Caught on Camera Keying Tesla Faces Felony Charges
A man who thought he could get away with keying a Tesla in a San Jose Costco parking lot found out the hard way that these cars are always watching. The video hit X (formerly Twitter) and blew up, racking over 621,000 views. San Jose police have since arrested the man and slapped him with felony vandalism charges.
Tesla’s Sentry Mode Didn’t Miss a Thing
The incident went down at the Costco on Senter Road last Friday, according to local police. Tesla’s built-in security system caught every second of the act.
In the widely shared footage posted by Breaking911, you can see a dark Hyundai SUV pull up next to a white Tesla. Out steps an older guy with a white beard, wearing a leather jacket with “USA” and an American eagle on the back. Without hesitation, he drags his key along the side of the Tesla, leaving an ugly scratch behind.
Confrontation Goes Viral Days Later
Things got even more interesting when a second video showed someone confronting the alleged vandal days after the first clip went viral.
“You keyed a Tesla in a parking lot around here. What do you say about that?” asks the person filming.
“I didn’t do that,” the man claims before quickly jumping into his Hyundai—still wearing that same USA jacket that made him so recognizable in the original video.
Cops: Vandal Facing Serious Charges
San Jose police confirmed on X that they’d identified and arrested the suspect, now facing felony vandalism charges.
“This senseless crime serves as a stark reminder that no matter one’s personal grievances, unlawful actions are never justified,” said Police Chief Paul Joseph. “I encourage everyone to respect one another—and most importantly, the law.”
The police haven’t released the man’s name yet.
Musk and Local Officials Weigh In
Elon Musk kept it simple, responding to the police department’s post with just an American flag emoji.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan had more to say: “Keying a car because you dislike its designer is like smashing a clock because you don’t like the time it shows. If this crime had political motivations, it’s irrational to punish local residents for something Elon Musk is doing 3,000 miles away.”
He suggested people take their frustrations to the voting booth instead of the parking lot.
While it’s unclear if the vandal had something against Tesla or Musk specifically, the company and its CEO have been catching more heat since Musk became a key player in Trump’s administration.
Tesla Facing Backlash Nationwide
This isn’t an isolated incident. Teslas have been targeted more frequently since Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) started cutting federal jobs.
Just yesterday, someone firebombed and shot up five Teslas at a service center in Las Vegas. The cops found evidence of Molotov cocktails and gunfire at the scene. Whoever did it spray-painted “RESIST” on the building, making it pretty clear they were targeting Tesla deliberately.
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Hey, I’m Badal I enjoy writing blogs, articles, and engaging content for websites. Creativity is at the heart of everything I do, whether it’s coding, designing, music, or crafting compelling content. I hope you enjoy reading my blogs and articles as much as I enjoy creating them!
