AROUND 20 vehicles have been targeted at a Tesla dealership in Belfast as protests against the company reach a global level.
Most of the cars had their wing mirrors broken, while some had their windows smashed and others sustained bodywork dents.
The electric car giant has already seen shares plunge since the start of the year as the firm comes under pressure from Chinese rivals amid calls for a boycott over Elon Musk’s close ties with US President Donald Trump and far-right causes.
Police received a report on Sunday about the incident at the dealership in the Boucher Road area of south Belfast.
A PSNI statement on Monday morning said: “The damage is believed to have occurred at some point in the last 24 hours.
“Approximately 20 vehicles have been targeted. Most have had their wing mirrors knocked off, while others have also had windows smashed or received dents to the bodywork.
“Inquiries to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident are ongoing.”
Officers have appealed for any witnesses or anyone with information about the vandalism to come forward. It comes as campaign group Led By Donkeys used a Tesla to rake out the words "DON'T BUY A TESLA" alongside an image of Musk giving a "Nazi salute".
Police in Oregon said they are working with the FBI to investigate gunshots fired at a Tesla dealership.
The shooting came a week after federal prosecutors in Denver charged a woman in connection with vandalism against a Tesla dealership in Colorado, including Molotov cocktails being thrown at vehicles and the words “Nazi cars” spray-painted on the building.
In a show of support for Musk’s company, Trump shopped for a new Tesla on the White House drive on Tuesday, selecting a shiny red sedan.
“Wow,” Trump said as he sat in the driver’s seat of a Model S. “That’s beautiful.”
Musk continues to run Tesla — as well as the social media platform Twitter/X and the rocket manufacturer SpaceX — while also serving as Trump’s adviser.
