Seven Tesla charging stations had been deliberately set on fireplace on Monday at a shopping mall outdoors Boston, the police mentioned, the newest in a collection of assaults towards the electrical automobile firm since its proprietor, Elon Musk, constructed a deep partnership with President Trump.
The charging stations had been set on fireplace round 1:10 a.m. at a shopping mall in Littleton, Mass., about 30 miles outdoors of Boston, in accordance with a information launch from the Littleton Police Division.
The police mentioned they informed the Littleton Electrical Mild & Water Division to close down the ability to the charging stations as “heavy, darkish smoke” engulfed a number of of them. Earlier than the electrical firm might reply, one other charging station caught fireplace.
There have been 12 charging stations on the web site, in accordance with a Tesla map.
Tesla didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon Tuesday.
Tesla showrooms and dealerships throughout the nation have been focused with protests and vandalism since Mr. Trump turned president and selected Mr. Musk to speed up his agenda.
The protests have mirrored to Mr. Musk and his latest political strikes, together with his radical takeover of the federal paperwork and his efforts to chop federal jobs.
On Thursday, federal prosecutors charged a Colorado resident with malicious destruction of property, accusing her of spray portray the phrase “Nazi” onto the aspect of a Tesla dealership and planting an incendiary system close to a automobile, in accordance with a information launch from the U.S. lawyer in Colorado.
Some automobile house owners at the moment are promoting their Teslas to distance themselves from the billionaire chief govt.
Nonetheless, Teslas are by far the most well-liked electrical autos in the US, and a few automotive house owners have mentioned on Fb teams that they’ve purchased one to point out their assist for Mr. Musk.