Police say the fires were deliberate and are the latest in a series of attacks on Elon Musk's company.
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Tesla charging stations at a mall outside Boston were damaged in an arson attack Monday morning.
Seven Tesla charging stations were deliberately set on fire at a mall outside Boston on Monday, police said, the latest in a series of attacks on the electric car company since owner Elon Musk forged a close partnership with President Trump.
The charging stations were set on fire around 1:10 a.m. at a shopping center in Littleton, Massachusetts, about 30 miles outside of Boston, according to a press release from the Littleton Police Department.
Police said they ordered the Littleton Electric Light & Water Department to shut off power to the charging stations because “thick, dark smoke” engulfed several of them. Before the electric company could respond, another charging station caught fire.
According to Tesla's map, there were 12 charging stations on the site.
Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.
Tesla showrooms and dealerships across the country have been the targets of protests and vandalism since Mr. Trump became president and chose Mr. Musk to carry out his agenda.
The protests reflected Mr. Musk's activities and recent policy moves, including his radical takeover of the federal bureaucracy and his efforts to cut federal jobs.
Federal prosecutors charged a Colorado woman Thursday with malicious destruction of property, accusing her of spray-painting the word “Nazi” on the wall of a Tesla dealership and placing an incendiary device near the vehicle, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Colorado.
Some vehicle owners are now selling their Teslas to distance themselves from the billionaire CEO.
However, Teslas remain the most popular electric cars in the United States, with some car owners saying in Facebook groups that they bought one to show their support for Mr Musk.
Sarah Ruberg covers breaking news and is a member of the 2024-25 Times Fellows program for early-career journalists. More about Sarah Ruberg
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Source: nytimes.com
