Group holds 'Tesla takedown' rally outside Lisle dealership, protesting Elon Musk's DOGE
LISLE, Ill. (WLS) -- DuPage County Democrats and other grassroots groups rallies outside the Tesla dealership in Lisle on Tuesday, protesting President Trump's Department of Government Efficiency and the head of DOGE, billionaire and Tesla CEO, Elon Musk.
Democratic organizers are calling the rally a "Tesla takedown," with many people showing up to what became dueling protests.
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"We're here to send them a message that this is not normal. It's not American, and people are in the streets to protest what Donald Trump and Elon Musk are doing to our country," said Democratic Party of DuPage County Chair Reid McCollum.
For weeks, Musk has led a purge of government employees, shuttering federal agencies and otherwise disrupting operations in the name of rooting out alleged waste, fraud, and abuse.
"People aren't able to perform in their professional capacity, so they should be let go," said Trump and Musk supporter Emily Cahill.
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Some local Republicans came out in defense of Trump and Musk.
While outnumbered, their stance is unmoved.
"I mean, here's Elon Musk, working for literally nothing, giving up literally billions of dollars for his activism and his patriotism, and all he is doing is saving our country," said Mark Rice, a Republican who ran in the 2024 election to represent Illinois' 8th Congressional District.
About 100 lawsuits have been filed in the wake of Musk's cuts, with judges slowing and stopping some actions while allowing others.
Even Tuesday, a federal judge, ruled to block DOGE's dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development.
READ MORE | Tesla car dealership vandalized in Buffalo Grove, police say
Calls for protests and boycotts of Tesla have revved up across the country with reports of vandalism against Tesla vehicles and dealerships.
Jenny Miles has organized protests outside this dealership for several weekends.
"I agree, there is government waste. We do have to worry about our debt and our deficit, but he's just indiscriminately gutting government programs," Miles said.
Similar efforts are underway in Congress, too.
According to the Associated Press, top Democrats have filed a lengthy Freedom of Information Act request questioning whether DOGE is operating "outside the bounds of federal law."
There is no word if the Trump administration will respond to that FOIA request.
The DuPage County GOP chairman released a statement on the protest, saying, "It is ridiculous that the DuPage Democrats are harassing and intimidating a local business that has contributed significantly to the Village of Lisle's economy. This is why the Democratic Party has the lowest approval ratings that it has had since there has been polling. We are not long removed from violent protests and looting that destroyed businesses across the suburbs. Of late, Tesla locations have been vandalized across America. This thinly veiled attempt by DuPage Democrats to cancel and scare a local business over political differences is repugnant. Americans are done with it and, increasingly, done with the Democratic Party."
ABC7 also reached to Tesla for a comment, but did not immediately hear back.
SEE ALSO | Trump checks out Teslas at White House as Musk's auto company stock sinks
