PHOTOS: Trump and Elon Musk Protest Outside Tesla West Bloomfield
On Thursday, February 27, a group of like-minded individuals staged a Donald Trump and Elon Musk protest outside West Bloomfield’s Tesla location.
According to the organizer (which we will omit the name of for safety reasons), they made sure to confer with West Bloomfield Police on how best to peacefully protest without breaking any laws. They were instructed not to impede people looking to use the sidewalks or driveways of the Tesla dealership, and to keep the noise below a certain decibel count.
Around 20 or so people held signs that said things like “Honk if you love Democracy,” to “Elon Musk is a Nazi Grifter,” among other slogans. Since this protest occurred on Orchard Lake Road near 14 Mile and around rush hour drive time, drivers made their views known by honking and cheering, or honking and giving protestors the middle finger.
Images by Spencer Isberg
At one point, a group of middle-school age children gave the group a thumbs down and screamed from the backseat of their minivan that they loved Trump. The most outspoken opposition was a Tesla driver who rolled up on the Tesla property while having their passenger film the protestors’ reactions and screamed “Elon Musk is my Nazi Daddy,” before attempting to peel off.
While this protest wasn’t as large as the one at Ann Arbor’s Tesla dealership, the organizer said they would continue to do this protest every Thursday from 4-6 PM weather permitting and encouraged those who stopped to ask for more information to join future protests.
Images by Ami Nicole ACRONYM
As people who still believe in the hope of democracy, it’s admirable that protests are launching locally, especially in Michigan where there is a giant cultural divide when it comes to politics. This was something that Governor Gretchen Whitmer also made note of in her State of the State address on Wednesday evening.
“As for politics, there’s no sugarcoating it… we seem very divided today. Partisanship has infected every aspect of our lives, driven by opportunistic politicians and media figures who live by a philosophy of ‘I win… if you lose.’
The divisive rhetoric is amplified by algorithms designed to make us angry and keep us scrolling. We’re all being manipulated by the largest and most powerful companies in the world who profit more when we start to believe that we have nothing in common.
But that’s just not true.
As governor, I’ve been to all 83 counties—at least twice—and sat down with all kinds of people. When you show up and listen, it’s clear that most of us want the same things, and we’re all frustrated by the same things too.
Our people are not as divided as our politics. I really believe that.”
Keep tabs on future protests, rallies, and more by following @acronymzine on Instagram.