German police said that four vehicles were set on fire in Berlin on Friday morning, and that political motives could not be ruled out.
Several Tesla vehicles were set on fire in Germany on Friday, as protests against Elon Musk's car company continue across the world.German police said that four vehicles were set ablaze in the Plänterwald and Steglitz neighborhoods of Berlin, and that political motives could not be ruled out.
Why It MattersTesla sites have been targeted by protesters around the world following Musk's appointment as head of the Department of Government Efficiency in President Donald Trump's administration.The electric car company has also faced a waning stock price in recent weeks, with many attributing the decline to Musk's close association with Trump.What To KnowThe first car fire was reported at 1.40 a.m. local time, with the subsequent car fires being reported throughout the night.German police said that no one was injured in the fires, but that all four vehicles were left entirely unusable. Five other vehicles near the fires were also slightly damaged.Berlin police said that a 'political motive' could not be ruled out, and that the State Security Division of the Berlin State Criminal Police Office had taken over the investigation. The unit investigates threats to the state, including terrorism, extremism, and organized crime.Germany has seen a number of anti-Musk protests in the wake of his endorsement of the far-right AfD party ahead of the country's general election in February, many of them targeting Tesla factories.An image of Musk making a controversial salute following Trump's inauguration was projected onto Tesla's Gigafactory in Berlin in January. The display featured Musk's gesture alongside the words 'Heil Tesla.'What People Are SayingBerlin Police said in a report on the fires: 'As yet unknown perpetrators set fire to a total of four Tesla electric cars in Plänterwald and Steglitz last night.'No one was injured, and firefighters extinguished the fires. Since a political motive cannot be ruled out, the State Security Division of the Berlin State Criminal Police Office has taken over the ongoing investigation.'What Happens NextGerman authorities will continue to investigate the fires. A motive for the incident has not yet been confirmed, and there are so suspects at present.Do you have a story we should be covering? Do you have any questions about this article? Contact LiveNews@newsweek.com.
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