Amid growing protests over Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s role in the government, investigators say six Cybertrucks were spray painted with profanity and swastikas.
LYNNWOOD, Wash. — Editor’s note: KING 5 has decided to show the swastikas after past discussions with the local Anti-Defamation League, who said they don’t want to sanitize hateful images.
The Lynnwood Police Department (LPD) is investigating several reports of vandalism to Tesla Cybertrucks at the company’s dealership on Highway 99.
Six vehicles were spray painted with swastikas and profanity directed at Tesla CEO Elon Musk, according to the initial LPD report, which lists six unknown suspects.
Officers were initially called to the dealership around 1 p.m. Saturday, the report said.
An employee told the responding officer the incident likely occurred between midnight and 7 a.m. of the same day.
One of the truck’s owners, who asked not to be identified, spoke to KING 5 after retrieving his vehicle from the dealership on Tuesday.
“For one, you’re hurting people that work a 9-5 job. I’ve worked very hard for this truck. This was my pride and joy,” he said. “You’re not hurting Elon, I already purchased the truck. You’re hurting people that work for a living and that’s extremely wrong.”
The truck owner said he received a call from the dealership on Monday; it had been parked there for service.
“I’m gonna keep driving. You have to stay strong,” he said. “If anything, it empowers us just to be stronger.”
The man told KING 5 he’s Jewish and seeing the swastikas hit especially hard.
“You want to make a political statement? Go and protest in front of dealerships, that’s fine. That’s your right,” he said. “But to vandalize people’s property with hate symbols?”
On Sunday, four Cybertrucks were destroyed in a fire in Seattle but investigators have not said if the fire, or fires, were intentionally set.
On Tuesday, the Seattle Police Department said it was working with federal partners to investigate the incident.
The FBI’s Seattle office released the following statement:
“FBI Seattle is aware of multiple recent incidents in Washington state related to vandalism of Tesla vehicles and is working with our partners, including ATF and local law enforcement agencies, to determine if federal crimes were committed. We are not able to provide additional details at this time but encourage anyone who has information to contact law enforcement.”
While appearing with Musk outside the White House on Tuesday, President Donald Trump was asked if such incidents should be investigated as domestic terrorism.
“I will do that, I’ll do it, I’m gonna stop them [if] we catch anybody doing it, because they’re harming a great American company,” said Trump.
The incidents come amid widespread demonstrations outside Tesla dealerships in protest of Musk’s role in the government.
“We’re not interested in damaging vehicles or harming people or property, we are interested in taking down the stock price of Tesla so that we can send a clear message to Elon Musk and to Donald Trump,” said Evan Sutton, who has organized “Tesla Takedown” protests in the Seattle area.