PEABODY — More than 100 residents from across the North Shore gathered outside the Tesla dealership in Peabody on Saturday to participate in a nationwide “Tesla Takedown” protest targeting billionaire CEO Elon Musk.
The demonstration was part of a coordinated series of actions at Tesla dealerships across the country, organized by a coalition of advocacy groups opposing what they describe as Musk’s political extremism and growing influence over federal policy.
Among those in attendance were over 20 members of Lynn United for Change, along with several representatives from the North Shore Labor Council. While not organizers of the event, Lynn United members joined in solidarity to support the national effort and speak out against policies they say threaten democracy, working families, and essential public services.
“Elon Musk is the most extreme example of how billionaire oligarchs are trying to stamp out any hope for real democracy and run the whole country for their own gain, hurting working-class people of all backgrounds in the process,” said Isaac Simon Hodes, executive director of Lynn United for Change.
“The way Musk and Trump are trying to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau clearly shows what’s going on.”
Hodes pointed to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau as a critical agency established after the foreclosure crisis to prevent financial abuse. “Now Musk and Trump are trying to get rid of that little bit of progress,” he said. “No one voted for destroying consumer protections… and we can’t let this unelected, incompetent egomaniac get away with what he’s doing.”
Celly De La Cruz, a community organizer with Lynn United, emphasized Musk’s contradictory stance on immigration.
“He’s an immigrant himself, and now he’s supporting extreme anti-immigrant movements around the world. That is beyond hypocrisy,” she said. “The cuts he and Trump are pushing to agencies like the EPA and CDC are a threat to the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat.”
De La Cruz also raised concerns about proposed reductions to housing and education programs.
“They’re cutting programs that help meet the basic needs of working-class people who have spent their whole lives working hard. If we don’t fight back, what will be left for our children?”
Labor advocates also spoke out at the event. Jordan Rogers, an organizer with the North Shore Labor Council, criticized Musk’s anti-union record.
“Elon Musk is attempting to capture the federal government to only serve himself and the billionaire class,” Rogers said. “If working people don’t fight back and Elon gets away with this, then soon the idea of labor rights, workplace safety, and fair pay will be a distant memory.”
Saturday’s protest in Peabody was one of many held nationwide, reflecting growing concern over the political power of tech billionaires like Musk and their influence on public policy. Demonstrators called for stronger protections for working families, more accountability for corporate leaders, and greater investment in federal programs that serve the public good.
“People across the country are waking up to the threat Musk poses — not just to workers, but to democracy itself,” said Hodes. “We came out today to stand with everyone fighting back.”
