Overnight Blaze Destroys 17 Tesla Cars at Rome Dealership as Musk Claims ‘Terrorism’

By
Siti Hajar
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A fire broke out at a Tesla dealership on the outskirts of Rome early Monday morning, destroying 17 cars and causing partial damage to the showroom.

According to Italian fire officials, the incident occurred around 4:30am. No one was present at the dealership when the fire erupted, and no injuries have been reported.

Investigation into Possible Arson and Connection to Anti-Musk Vandalism

Rome’s fire service has stated they are investigating “all avenues” regarding how the fire started and have not ruled out arson. Local police have interviewed the dealership owners and are examining surveillance footage from the area.

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Digos, Italy’s special police unit, is leading an investigation into the possibility that anarchists may have set fire to the cars, according to a security source.

Drone images of the aftermath showed the charred remains of vehicles arranged in two back-to-back rows in the car park, with a third row positioned at some distance.

Tesla’s owner Elon Musk responded to the incident on social media platform X, describing it as “terrorism.”

This incident follows numerous reports across Italy of Tesla vehicles being vandalized and defaced with anti-Elon Musk and anti-Donald Trump messages written in spray paint.

Dealerships in Milan have been targeted by environmental groups in recent weeks, while several Teslas in Rome’s Garbatella neighborhood—where Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni grew up—were also defaced, according to police and social media posts.

Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini expressed support for Musk following the fire. “Too much unjustified hatred against the Tesla car company,” Salvini posted on social media.

“The season of hate and conflict must come to an end as soon as possible. My solidarity goes out to Elon Musk and to all the workers who have been threatened and attacked.”

Pattern of Tesla Targeting Across Multiple Countries

The Rome incident is part of a broader pattern of Tesla vehicles being targeted internationally.

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Reports of Tesla vandalism have surfaced in France and various regions of the United States, including the Pacific Northwest and Northeast.

Just a week ago, another car dealership in northern Rome burned down, destroying 30 vehicles, including used Teslas. That fire was initially attributed to an electrical fault, but an investigation is currently underway.

Peaceful protests have also occurred at multiple Tesla locations in the United States, where demonstrators chanted “Elon Musk has got to go” in response to federal job cuts implemented by Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.

The targeting of Tesla vehicles appears to be linked to Musk’s political activities.

The tech billionaire has joined Donald Trump’s administration and has expressed support for far-right parties in Europe. Musk and Italian Prime Minister Meloni are self-described close friends, though Meloni has not commented on the recent vandalism.

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Siti Hajar