Fire engulfs 17 Tesla vehicles in Rome dealership

Italian fire officials has on Monday March 31, 2025, confirmed at least 17 Tesla cars destroyed in a fire that broke out at a dealership on the outskirts of Rome.

The incident follows a recent wave of vandalism targeting Tesla vehicles across Italy.

According to reports, the dealership was empty at the time of the incident, and no injuries were reported.

Rome’s fire service stated that investigations are ongoing, ‘exploring all avenues’ to determine the cause of the fire, with arson not ruled out.

Local authorities in Italy have interviewed the dealership’s owners and are currently reviewing surveillance footage.

In several cases, anti-Elon Musk and anti-Donald Trump messages were spray-painted on the cars.

Musk, in response to the attacks, posted on X, (formerly twitter) expressing irony over being labelled a “Nazi ”despite having never engaged in any violence.

He stated, “Sure is insanely ironic that the people shooting bullets into Tesla stores, burning down cars and generally being violent are calling me a Nazi when I have done literally zero violence at all.”

Earlier, a car dealership in northern Rome was engulfed in flames, destroying 30 vehicles, including used Teslas.

Initially suspected to have been caused by an electrical fault, authorities have since launched a deeper investigation into the cause.

Several Tesla vehicles were also defaced in the Garbatella neighborhood of Rome, an area where Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni grew up.

Despite her close ties with Elon Musk, Meloni is said to have remained silent on the attacks.

Meanwhile, Tesla dealerships in Milan have been targeted by environmental activists.

Reports of similar vandalism have emerged from France and parts of the United States, including the Pacific Northwest and the Northeast.

The protests against Musk have turned destructive, others have remained peaceful.

Demonstrators in the U.S. have gathered at Tesla locations, chanting slogans such as “Elon Musk has got to go” in response to job cuts linked to Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.

Protesters, under the Tesla Takedown movement, claim that Musk is undermining democracy with his actions.

“Elon Musk is destroying our democracy, and he’s using the fortune he built at Tesla to do it.

“We are taking action at Tesla to stop Musk’s illegal coup,” the organizers said.

Italian Authorities are continuing investigations into the fire as Tesla faces mounting opposition worldwide.

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