CHICAGO – Last month, Ed Campbell woke up to move his Tesla parked on Lake Shore Drive, only to discover that the passenger side door had been vandalized instead.
“It’s not a great way to make a statement,” he said. “I saw in big huge white spray painted letters ‘F Elon.’ I’m sure you can fill in the blank for the rest.”
The damage left Campbell shocked and upset and he reported the incident to Chicago police.
Campbell said he had the vehicle for less than a year and added this was the first time he’d ever been targeted just for owning this particular make of vehicle.
“I’ve loved it. It’s the best I’ve ever had. It’s so safe and the reason why I got it is just to, you know, have a better eco footprint and be good for the environment. You know, I didn’t buy it because, you know, I thought one way or another about the CEO,” Campbell said.
Richard’s Body Shop in Albany Park has handled about three cases involving these specific electric vehicles being vandalized. The body shop’s staff helped Campbell with his issue, but shop owner Eddie Zipperstein said in another case, the damage was much more severe than just spray paint.
“One customer got rammed, back bumper, and rammed into him,” Zipperstein said. “He actually had a sticker that wasn’t pro Tesla. He liked the car for itself, not a political statement.”
Since President Trump’s inauguration, Tesla has been under increased pressure.
Over the weekend in downtown Chicago, demonstrators gathered outside a showroom on Rush Street to protest Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s involvement in federal cuts through the Department of Government Efficiency.
While the protest remained peaceful, it was a different story in Seattle, where several cybertrucks were set on fire Sunday night.
On Wednesday, March 5, a dealership in Tigard, Oregon also experienced vandalism, this time involving gunfire.
Campbell told WGN News there’s no need for people to turn to extreme measures to express their opinions.
“Hop on social media. Be active in your community. Don’t hurt an innocent bystander you don’t know,” he said.
While Campbell hasn’t dealt with any additional vandalism since the spray paint incident, he encourages other Tesla owners to make sure their sentry mode is activated as the car’s cameras can record suspicious activity.
It’s unclear how many vandals are facing consequences, but those who participated in violent protests or were caught damaging vehicles or property have been arrested and are now facing charges.
