Earlier this morning, a Tesla dealership on the outskirts of Rome, Italy, erupted into flames that destroyed over a dozen of vehicles. Italian police are investigating the cause of the fire and have not yet ruled out arson. Digos, Italy’s anti-terrorism unit, is spearheading the investigation and exploring the possibility that the incident was politically motivated by anarchists.
This incident aligns with the rapidly increasing frequency of Tesla facilities and vehicles becoming prime targets for vandalism in response to CEO Elon Musk’s political activism. He serves as a senior advisor to President Donald Trump and spearheads the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) shrinking of the U.S. federal government. He has also expressed support for far-right political parties in Europe, which has triggered calls for Tesla bans across the country. In response, Tesla’s European sales plummeted nearly 49% in 2025.
The escalating backlash against Musk has fueled the rise of the “Tesla Takedown” movement that has swept across the globe. While its organizers encourage peaceful protest, there has been a dramatic increase in targeted attacks against Tesla. In the United States and Canada alone, more than 80 cases of vandalism or arson against Tesla vehicles and facilities have been reported since the beginning of the year.
The FBI has launched a task force to combat a the surge in what they’ve labeled “domestic terrorism” against Tela. Just last week, a Las Vegas man was arrested on state and federal charges for throwing Molotov cocktails at a Tesla Collision center in Las Vegas, which damaged five vehicles. Musk acknowledged the Rome fire in a post on X, responding with a single word: “terrorism.”
Terrorism
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 31, 2025
Tesla Italy is cooperating with law enforcement and assisted the investigation by turning over surveillance footage from the affected vehicles. The blaze erupted shortly after 4 AM, destroying 17 vehicles and causing partial damage to the dealership building. There were no recorded injuries during the incident.
