Tesla cars torched, owners' data leaked: Anti-Musk protests escalate in the US

Several Tesla vehicles were set ablaze at a service centre in the United States, while a doxing website leaked personal information of Tesla owners, as protests against Elon Musk’s involvement in the Donald Trump administration intensified.

Arson attacks on Tesla vehicles

The wave of arson attacks targeting Tesla cars continued on Tuesday, when an individual dressed in black used Molotov cocktails to ignite five vehicles at a Tesla service centre in Las Vegas. The FBI is investigating the incident as a possible act of domestic terrorism. The word “resist” was spray-painted on the facility’s front door.

Although no injuries were reported, authorities managed to prevent a major explosion by extinguishing the fire before it could reach the vehicles’ batteries. “This was a targeted attack against a Tesla facility,” CNN quoted Las Vegas police as saying.

In a separate incident in Kansas City, two Tesla Cybertrucks were also set on fire. Meanwhile, in South Carolina, an arsonist attempting to torch a Tesla charging station accidentally set himself on fire, according to The New York Post.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk shared videos of the burning vehicles, calling the attacks “terrorism.” He tweeted, “This level of violence is insane and deeply wrong… Tesla just makes electric cars and has done nothing to deserve these evil attacks.”

Website exposes Tesla owners’ data

Compounding Tesla’s troubles, a doxing website called “Dogequest” has published personal details of Tesla owners. The site displays names, addresses, and phone numbers of Tesla owners in the US, featuring a Molotov cocktail image as its cursor. Many of the vehicles targeted in arson attacks were set ablaze using Molotov cocktails.

The site’s operators stated they would only remove Tesla owners’ information if individuals provided proof that they had sold their vehicles.

Impact on Tesla and response

These incidents have further impacted Tesla financially, with the company reporting declining sales for the first time in its history. Last week, President Trump purchased a Tesla in a public display of support for Musk.

The White House has condemned the attacks, labelling them “domestic terror,” and vowed to pursue those responsible vigorously.