Rain or shine, a group of determined protestors hold signs, chant slogans and wave to honking cars, determined to show passersby their commitment to their social and political beliefs. Every Wednesday and Saturday, they gather on the corner of El Camino Real and Arastradero Road in Palo Alto, in front of the Tesla dealership.
Protesters around the nation have been rallying outside Tesla dealerships to express frustration with Tesla founder Elon Musk’s public political alliance with President Donald Trump, who many view as a threat to democratic institutions.
Protestors argue that they aren’t against electric vehicles, or even anti-Tesla, but are rather purely anti-Musk, using the protests to send a message to Tesla consumers to rethink the political implications of their purchases.
The protest may be in front of Tesla, but the cause isn’t singular. The group is protesting against what they see as an erosion of democracy under the Trump Administration. Since Trump’s inauguration in January, his political collaboration with Musk has been controversial, with many believing that Musk’s unelected leadership is unfair or even unconstitutional.
The protests, which began in February, are run by the Palo Alto branch of the national organization Indivisible, a progressive social movement founded in 2016.
Melissa Dinwiddie, the founder and president of the Palo Alto chapter of Indivisible, Indivisible Palo Alto Plus, said that the protests began in partnership with local organizations and community members.
According to Dinwiddie, although the Tesla dealership reflects issues protesters are rallying against, the protests unite people advocating for a range of issues. Past protests have drawn up to 2,000 people.
“It’s not that people are here because of Tesla,” Dinwiddie said. “They’re here because they care about what Musk and Trump are destroying, … and that’s why this particular location acts as a central organizing force to attract a lot of people.”
Susan Juhl, a protester who has consistently been active in these demonstrations, explained the origins of the protests.
“We started with Elon Musk, but we are actually protesting against the government of Donald Trump and Elon Musk, and all the Republican MAGA [Make America Great Again] people,” Juhl said.
For many protesters, the motivation to show up each week stems from frustration with the current administration, but also from the personal consequences. One parent, who asked to remain anonymous, highlighted the real-life consequences of defunding public programs.
“They are planning to cut Medicaid, and my child and other disabled people rely on it,” she said. “While we have really good private insurance, we need Medicaid as a secondary insurance plan, otherwise he [her child] cannot get any necessary durable medical equipment because private insurance does not cover that.
Other protesters echoed this sense of urgency, citing a range of policies they believe have harmed everyday Americans.
“We’d like to show support for people who are affected by mass deportations and also by all of the changes that are happening with tariffs, as small businesses are affected,” protestor Scherazade Sohrabji said. “Most importantly, I’m protesting the lack of due process that has arisen with this administration and showing the danger of losing that due process.”
As policies shift, many have realized the urgency of action and solidarity.
“Every day there’s another executive order assaulting the Constitution,” a protester who wishes to remain anonymous said. “From day one, Trump has assaulted our Constitution illegally and gotten away with it. One of my biggest questions is, for young people — why is your generation not here?”
Granny Ruth, a longtime activist from Raging Grannies, a group of older women activists, urges youth to get involved.
“When you all [Paly students] marched out of campus to protest school shootings, we joined you on the streets,” Granny Ruth said. “Now it’s your turn to join us. School shootings are just a part of what is going on.
While in general the protesters are older adults, some younger people were in attendance as well. Students Sequoia and Rainey, who requested that their last names not be used, said that although the protesters’ main demographic seemed to be older people, teens and young adults should consider attending as well.
“There definitely are a lot more of the older generation here,” Sequoia said. “I don’t know if that’s because young people are scared to turn up, but also it’s not being pushed that hard on social media which is where a lot of young people get their information. But I think that generally, older generations are more informed and have a better idea of how this history is sort of coming around again.”
Despite generational differences in turnout, the protests have maintained a steady presence.
“It’s really good to see the community consistently protesting,” Scott Kresie, a protester and graduate of Henry M. Gunn High School, said.
Protester David Shawcross said he has noticed a shift not just in turnout, but in how people carry themselves when they show up. As concerns pile up, he sees the protests as an outlet for frustration.
“This [the protest] gives people a chance to feel like they can do something, and they’re no longer powerless,” Shawcross said. “They may not realize how much power they have until they get out and do this, but then they see the numbers. I think Musk has lost $31 billion on Tesla shares, and that’s quite a bit of money for anybody, even him.”
As the protests grow and evolve, so does the urgency behind them, fueled by the understanding that inaction today could mean consequences for tomorrow.
“It’s important to fact-check information and to show up for your neighbors, even if you don’t think you’re being affected, because it will eventually affect you,” Rainey said. “It’s all going to come around.”
