A group of German activists, the Centre for Political Beauty (ZPS), staged a protest outside the Tesla factory in Grünheide, near Berlin. On the night of Wednesday to Thursday, they projected a giant image of Elon Musk’s gesture, which was perceived by many as a Nazi salute, onto the facade of the factory. Next to this image, activists added the word “Heil” to form the inscription “Heil Tesla”.
In their post on social network X, the activists sarcastically stated: “Buy Tesla – support fascism!”. They also posted a video of the action, which lasted about an hour.
The mask gesture and political satire
The activists’ protest was a response to Elon Musk’s controversial gesture at a rally in support of Donald Trump. During his speech, Musk stretched his right hand forward twice, which democratic politicians and historians interpreted as a fascist or Nazi salute. Some observers called the gesture an awkward move, but public criticism is gaining momentum.
ZPS spokesman Philipp Ruch told AFP: “We want to organise the artistic destruction of Elon Musk.”
The political context and role of the AfD
In addition to protesting against Musk, ZPS activists also spoke out about his public support for the right-wing populist party Alternative for Germany (AfD). Musk has repeatedly spoken out in support of the AfD, which, according to recent polls, is second in the ranking with 20% of the vote.
The activists also projected an image of AfD leader Alice Weidel on the facade of the Tesla factory, calling her stance a threat to democratic values.
Government response and consequences
Local police reported that the action had been referred to the prosecutor’s office. Despite this, ZPS is known for its willingness to engage in radical forms of political satire. In 2017, they installed a miniature copy of the Holocaust Memorial in front of the house of an AfD leader.
Tesla’s factory in Grünheide, which opened in 2022, is the company’s only “gigafactory” in Europe. Musk regularly intervenes in German political campaigns, which only increases the wave of criticism against him.
