Protest against Tesla turns dangerous in Watertown, Massachusetts

WATERTOWN, Mass. — A protest against Tesla took a dangerous turn on Saturday when a man claimed he was clipped by a truck in Watertown. Police reported that the driver of a black pickup truck struck two people during the protest on Pleasant Street. Fortunately, their injuries were not serious.

Frank Gerry, a protester, recounted the incident, saying, "His mirror hit my arm." He added, "He hit me with the mirror, the big side mirrors, hit me right on the arm. I chased after him to get the number and gave it to the police officers."

Gerry was standing on the sidewalk with a group of protesters when the truck, a black F-150, turned the corner close to the crowd. He believes the driver acted intentionally. "Oh absolutely," Gerry said. "He parked here where that car is, and then he just came right here. He was planning the whole time. It was intentional and a deadly weapon is a car."

Police maintained a strong presence during the protest and located the truck shortly after the incident, speaking with the driver. No charges have been filed yet, and the investigation is ongoing.

The protest was part of a larger movement against Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, with demonstrations occurring across the country. Shua Sanchez, a member of the Tesla Take Down Movement, explained the protest's purpose: "To raise awareness about what Elon is doing with DOGE and firing thousands of workers. We also want people who own Tesla to sell their car if they can."

Janet England, an organizer, expressed concerns about Musk's influence, stating, "We just want having a peaceful protest because we are really concerned with all the DOGE cuts and Elon is not an elected person. Nobody elected Elon Musk and he is sort of a shadow president. That's not democracy."

Protester Leo Margolf-Colhane added, "Hopefully, encourage people to boycott Tesla and maybe that will hit Elon Musk where it counts most for him."

No other injuries were reported during the protest.