Here's the translation: "This is how the 'Tesla Takeover' protests against Elon Musk were organized this weekend on Bluesky."

While Elon Musk and his followers examine federal government agencies for entities that can be dismantled, a grassroots effort is gaining momentum to hit the world's richest man where it hurts—his pockets. Courts are questioning the actions of Musk's Government Efficiency Department, but the judicial system is moving slowly, and citizens are starting to get impatient. Some Americans, outraged by the government destruction that Musk promotes, have sold their Tesla vehicles or even resorted to vandalism. However, hundreds have decided to protest at Tesla dealerships across the country on February 15, a movement that originated this week thanks to misinformation researcher Joan Donovan and was amplified by filmmaker Alex Winter.

Donovan remarked that, as citizens, there are different ways to exert pressure. "One is to talk to our representatives, but another is to publicly draw attention to the looting of federal data, particularly regarding the lack of transparency with which Musk is operating, which also seems to be with impunity," she explained in an interview. This initiative, which began on Bluesky, has rapidly expanded, with protests planned outside Tesla showrooms in cities such as Austin, Portland, Seattle, Kansas City, and Mesa in Arizona. As of now, Tesla and Musk have not responded to requests for comments.

Donovan's motivation, who is also an assistant professor of journalism at Boston University, arose after observing some small protests outside Tesla stores last week. "I was inspired by a small protest in Maine, where people brought signs to a Tesla charging station, and how that sparked conversation and allowed people to meet and discuss what is happening," she recalled. So, this week she began to spread messages urging action. "If Musk thinks he can roll through D.C. downloading personal data, we can make noise on the sidewalks in front of Tesla dealerships," she wrote on social media.

Winter, who collaborated with Donovan on the screening of his documentary "The YouTube Effect," joined the cause after seeing her posts. "Sell your Teslas, get rid of your stocks, join the picket lines," he urged on Bluesky, noting that hurting Tesla would mean slowing down Musk and helping to save lives and democracy. Following that post, Donovan and Winter encouraged people to organize their own "Take Tesla" events. By Friday, 42 protests had been scheduled in different states across the U.S., including California, Florida, Texas, and New York.

Winter also mentioned that he collaborated with The Disruption Project, an organization that provides training in social activism. According to their data, hundreds of people have signed up, and more events continue to emerge. The protests go beyond creating a public image and seek to build community. Musk's considerable wealth largely depends on his ownership of 20% of Tesla's shares, making him particularly vulnerable to market fluctuations. In a regulatory report from April 2024, it was revealed that Musk used nearly 60% of his Tesla shares as collateral for loans. Theoretically, if Tesla's stock price were to drop dramatically, lenders could demand that he pay what he owes, forcing him to renegotiate terms.

"The long-term goal is to devalue, generate a lack of confidence in the future of the company, and provoke a massive sell-off of shares that causes him real harm," Winter asserted, who also emphasized the importance of civic education and activist literacy. His experience in creating documentaries on issues of corruption and YouTube's algorithmic failures positions him well to assist in this effort.

Donovan expressed her concern about how Musk uses misinformation to exploit the lack of governmental knowledge among many Americans, which could unleash violence, especially when targeting government workers and their families. Hence her desire for people to stand up. "My hope is that people come together, acting locally but thinking globally, and find local ways of resistance," she concluded.