Thousands of anti-Tesla protesters took to the streets Saturday March 29th in opposition to Elon Musk and his efforts with DOGE to eliminate humanitarian aid, close federal agencies, and fire government workers. It was the culmination of nearly two months of steady, almost daily demonstrations aimed at hurting Tesla’s sales — and ultimately Musk himself. Today was billed as a “Global Day of Action” with protests targeting hundreds of Tesla locations in the US, Canada, and Europe.
Technology
We went to 10 anti-Tesla protests — and a couple counter protests, too
The Verge wanted to check the temperature and see how these protesters were thinking about this current moment, and whether they felt their boycott was having its desired effect. Tesla sales have slid significantly since the protests started, and its stock has shed a lot of its value. But Musk shows no signs of being deterred, as he ramps up his threats to sic the government on anti-Tesla forces.
So we fanned out across the globe, from London to New York to Washington, DC to Los Angeles — and Paramus, NJ and Akron, Ohio too — to observe the movement as it enters it third month and talk to the people who opted to spend a good chunk of a Saturday afternoon waving signs and shouting about Musk and Tesla. We even saw several counter protesters who came out to support Musk — and Tesla.
London’s Tesla Takedown protest was a small affair, with 50-odd protestors, one dinosaur, and an inflatable Elon making that salute all perched outside a Tesla showroom in Park Royal, a neighborhood otherwise dominated by big box retailers, self-storage units, and ghost kitchens. But it’s come a long way since its humble beginnings six weeks ago, when it was just two protestors getting “kicked out of the Westfield shopping mall by security,” according to organizer John Gorenfeld.
Gorenfeld is a Californian, but this protest was English to a fault: polite, peaceful, and a little quiet. There was no police presence, and nor was one needed; even a Tesla pulling in didn’t attract much ire from the crowd. Fortunately, passing drivers were there to provide the noise — a “Honk If You Hate Elon” sign was answered by a chorus of cars, trucks, and at least one city bus. Londoners may not have come out in force, but it’s pretty clear where the city’s sympathies lie.
On a busy shopping street in Georgetown, DC, protesters are dancing outside a Tesla showroom to everything from “Hot to go,” to “Under Pressure,” to the viral TikTok hostile takeover song. They’re wearing a mix of shiny boas, boat captain hats, and floral shirts. The loosely boat-themed dance party has been attracting a steady stream of honks from passing cars, and many pedestrians are stopping to gleefully take pictures. “Nazi cars sold here,” says one sign, “Porsche = fast, Ferrari = faster, Tesla = fascist,” says another.
“Part of how fascism operates is they want people to be fearful,” says Sara Steffens, part of a team that calls themselves Dance Against DOGE. Steffens dons a floral outfit and a captain’s hat that she says symbolizes how the people are in charge of their destiny, rather than Trump and Musk. “Bullies operate on fear and they want us to be afraid of them … so this is like a full force showing.”
The mix of attendees appears to span many ages, and one of the groups rallying older generations to get involved is Third Act. Mark, an attendee affiliated with Third Act who declined to give his last name, said it was important to be at the protest “as someone with two grandchildren, trying to do something so that they can grow up in a place that’s safe.”
Cruise down Route 17 in north New Jersey and you’ll see a ton of car dealerships. But for the past few weeks, none have seen quite as much action as the Tesla dealership near Paramus. Each weekend, protestors of all ages have been holding up signs at the side of the highway, encouraging drivers to sell their Teslas, dump their stock, and honk against fascism. Today, the vibe is a little different.
The pro-Trumpers are here too — and the lines are clearly drawn.
“Last week, it was just us here,” says Ethan, a protester wearing a Super Mario Bros. Luigi cap and holding a sign that reads “Cyberfucked.” “Now all these Trump guys are here, walking around, doing whatever they want.”
Ethan, who declined to give his last name, says he’s been hassled by the Trump and Musk supporters. They’ve called him slurs, thrown water at him, and tried to grab his sign before a fellow protestor calmed the situation down. He says one Trump supporter told him his Luigi hat was offensive to Italian Americans. When I ask Ethan why he’s here today, he says “Because I fucking hate Elon Musk.” Then after a bit of thought, he adds, “We’re kind of screwed. It might not be much, but I want to at least say something and be heard by someone.”
On the other side, the Trump camp isn’t as concerned about holding up signs. They’re more milling about, grouping off into mini clusters. (They do, however, have many signs that read “Thank you Elon” and “Trump won.”) When I ask to speak to the organizer, I’m directed to John Tabacco — who wears a light blue blazer with prints of President Trump’s face.
“We need to show that there is support for what Elon Musk and DOGE is doing,” Tabacco says. He also takes issue when I characterize the pro-Trump crowd as a counterprotest. “This is a rally for us. A support rally for Trump, DOGE, and America-first policies. And I think those people,” he says, pointing to the anti-Tesla group, “Those people showed up today as counter-protesters.”
Tesla service center here is closed on weekends. It’s just off Route 18, at an intersection that services a shopping center with a Home Depot, Chick-fil-A, a local bar chain called The Winking Lizard, and more. The turnout is surprising, about 40-50 people (and two very good dogs) are lined up on both sides of the street waving signs and ringing cowbells. There’s a man with a bullhorn rousing the crowd with slogans, “When immigrants are under attack, what do we do?” he yells. “Fight back!” The crowd responds.
There’s a variety of people here, including a lot more gray and white hair folks using scooters and wheelchairs. A woman in a high-visibility vest said she and a lot of the older people here came on behalf of Third Act Ohio, an activist group for folks over 60. It’s hard to hear her as people continuously drive by, honking their horns in support.
Arriving 20 minutes before the event, it was quiet, even though organizers were expecting the crowd to be large, with last week’s attendance estimated around 1,300. They were right. Within ten minutes the plaza was full of attendees with a diversity of signage ranging from “Deport Elon Musk”, “Stop the Attack on Democracy”, “Hands off our Social Security” plus many others.
Photo by Victoria Barrios / The Verge
Even though the crowd is large, organizers emphasize their message over the speakers; this is a peaceful non-violent protest. This is similar to what one of the organizers told me as well, “Despite what the administration is saying, we’re not domestic terrorists, we are absolutely peaceful, nonviolent, we provide guidance and say no harassment of the Tesla showroom. We just want to make our voices heard.”
Photo by Victoria Barrios / The Verge
Alice Grimm said this is about bringing down the power of the billionaire. “From Elon Musk’s perspective, any dollar that doesn’t go to him is wasted and efficiency is whatever fills his pocket. And so Tesla, where most of his wealth is, if what he cares about is that element, then trying to drive down the stock price of Tesla, that attacks Elon’s power.”
Long Beach and Lakewood, California:
“I was on my way to another anti-Elon protest,” a woman named Nati said, while holding two signs at a Supercharger location in Lakewood. “I had to stop here when I saw everyone out.”
As Tesla owners pulled in and out, around 100 people stood on the sidewalk protesting. Most Tesla owners remained in their cars or went into nearby stores, largely avoiding the large crowd chanting, “This is what Democracy looks like,” and waving at passing cars that honked in support.
A man who asked to be identified as Sam set up a folding table and sold anti-Musk and Trump goods to passersby, though most at the Supercharger had brought their own homemade signs and wore shirts with “Gulf of Mexico,” and “Biden Harris,” emblazoned on them.
“I was on my way to another anti-Elon protest. I had to stop here when I saw everyone out.”
At a Tesla dealership a few miles away, in Long Beach, around 250 people lined the sidewalks on both sides of a busy four-lane road near a Home Depot and Costco that is packed on the weekends. As drivers drove past, people honked, cheered, and pumped their fists out their car windows, showing support.
The protests in Long Beach were peaceful, with protestors remaining on public property, cheering as people honked in support, but a tiny number of Trump and Musk supporters did show up to troll the crowds.
At the Supercharger location, a family decided to engage the protesters, yelling that they were “stupid. ” Their young daughter, who looked to be around ten years old, screamed profanities at the protesters. A pair of police SUVs were parked across the street, keeping an eye on things, and one lone Musk supporter lingered nearby holding a sign thanking Musk.
An anti-Tesla protester who asked not to be identified said that she’d been at another protest in Long Beach in late February when a truck driver rolled down his window and tried to pepper spray the protesters. No one was hurt, but the woman said that it did concern her. “You just don’t know how people are going to respond to exercising your right to free speech,” she said.
Hundreds of protesters marched and chanted in front of a Tesla showroom in the Meatpacking District in New York City. The mood was lively and enthusiastic as protesters waved signs, danced in flaming cardboard Cybertruck costumes, and smashed toy cars on the sidewalk with a hammer. A moment of silence was held for a large portion of the crowd to lay down on the street with cardboard signs shaped like gravestones to stage a “die in” in front of the Tesla showroom.
The protest was peaceful but there were two separate instances where protesters started shouting out for others not to engage with two men holding out microphones and asking questions. In the second instance of this, police that were surrounding the building came over to prevent one of these interviewers from engaging with the protesters. The man being escorted out of the crowd still held a microphone, walked backwards smiling and said “crackhead, come here” gesturing towards one of the protesters for an interview.
Slogans on signs varied in intensity. One sign depicted Elon Musk dressed as Emperor Palpatine that read, “Strike down Darth Ketamine, Congress must!!!” Another banner held by a group of three protesters read, “Burn A Tesla Save Democracy.”
Aside from some raised voices, there weren’t any violent altercations. The turnout at this protest was about three times larger than the protest at the same location a week earlier. As the protest neared its end there were chants of “we’ll be back” from the crowd. They were ready to come back for more.
Lucid Motors found itself in a tough bind this week, fending off bankruptcy rumors and watching its stock price plunge as a result. The company quickly denied the report, calling it “completely false” and pointing to its available free cash flow as evidence that it has enough runway to operate into next year.
But despite the swift response, the damage was widespread. The panic immediately bled into competing automakers, pulling down shares of Rivian and Polestar as investors speculated about the long-term survival of EV-only companies in the face of slowing consumer demand and whiplash policy shifts. And it cast a harsh light on the precarity of all three companies and the future of electric vehicles.
The trouble started on Tuesday, when EV trade publication EV reported that restructuring firm AlixPartners had advised Lucid’s board to consider Chapter 11 bankruptcy or a take-private deal. The report also said AlixPartners had encouraged the board to further restructure in the US and Europe and to focus on the Gravity SUV. But while the rest of the media has since reported on Lucid’s denial, no other publication has confirmed EV’s scoop. (For what its worth, EV’s URL is “eletric-vehicle.com,” enshrining the incorrect spelling in its address.)
Lucid confirmed that it had hired AlixPartners, but denied that the firm had made any such recommendations to its board. Instead, AlixPartners would provide advice on “improving execution, strengthening operations and positioning Lucid to realize the full potential of its technology, products and innovation,” Lucid chief communications officer Nick Twork said.
Lucid went a step further, filing a cease and desist order against EV
Lucid went a step further, filing a cease and desist order against EV, claiming that the site’s report directly led to the stock crash. “In short, your actions caused serious injury to a number of investors,” Lucid’s chief legal officer and general counsel, Brian Tomkiel, said in the letter. “And they injured, and continue to injure, Lucid directly.”
Still, the timing was terrible. Lucid is genuinely not in good shape, having lost over $1 billion in the first quarter of the year. The company has also gone through two rounds of layoffs in 2026, having cut 12 percent of staff in February and then 18 percent in June. The company also reduced production at its factory in Arizona in a bid to counteract its high inventory and save money. And there’s been leadership turmoil, with COO Marc Winterhoff departing the company and his position being eliminated entirely in an effort to flatten the structure.
The report sent the stock into freefall, plummeting as much as 50 percent in one of the worst single-day drops in Lucid’s history. And with Polestar and Rivian also catching strays, it’s generally been a glum time for companies not named Tesla trying make a go of exclusively building electric vehicles. Wall Street is panicking because the rumors are aligning with the bad news coming out of these companies’ earnings reports. EV sales are stabilizing, but recovery is still a distant promise. The all-electric future seems further away than ever.
Whether or not Lucid is actually weighing Chapter 11, it’s a sure sign of more turbulent waters ahead. Polestar getting strong-armed out of the US over its Chinese ties has left a lot of EV owners and dealers scratching their heads. Rivian is in an increasingly precarious position thanks to its huge, expensive bet on becoming a mass-market car company with the production of the R2.
All of these companies are increasingly reliant on big stakeholders — Lucid with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Polestar with Geely, and Rivian with Volkswagen — for their future survival. If any of these big backers get cold feet, the future could get really dark really fast.
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AssuranceAmerica, an auto insurance provider that works through a network of independent agents, has disclosed a data breach affecting nearly 7 million people. The exposed information includes driver’s license numbers and other personal details tied to auto insurance customers.
The company said it detected suspicious activity on March 17, 2026, after malicious activity targeted one of its employees one day earlier. Investigators later found that an unauthorized third party accessed parts of AssuranceAmerica’s IT environment and copied certain data files.
According to an Indiana Attorney General breach listing, the incident affected 6,998,886 people. A California Attorney General notice also says AssuranceAmerica began notifying affected individuals after completing its file review on June 15, 2026.
AssuranceAmerica sells auto, renters and commercial auto insurance through independent agents. So even if the company name does not sound familiar, your information could still be involved if your policy, quote, claim or driver details passed through its systems.
ADT DATA BREACH EXPOSES CUSTOMER INFORMATION
AssuranceAmerica says a March cyberattack exposed personal information tied to nearly 7 million people, including driver’s license numbers and insurance data. (Felix Zahn/Photothek via Getty Images)
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What happened in the AssuranceAmerica data breach
AssuranceAmerica said the breach started with malicious activity that targeted one employee. The company did not explain exactly how the employee was targeted. However, it said it later disabled compromised credentials and unauthorized sessions.
That detail should get your attention. Many breaches start with one stolen login, one convincing message or one infected device. Once attackers get inside, they can move quickly and look for files worth stealing.
In this case, AssuranceAmerica said an unauthorized third party copied certain data files from its IT environment. The company then reviewed those files to identify affected individuals.
What information was exposed in the AssuranceAmerica breach
AssuranceAmerica said the stolen files contained names plus one or more other types of personal information. That information may include contact details, auto insurance policy or account information, driver or vehicle information, claims-related information and driver’s license numbers. The California notice also says some files may have included Tax ID information and/or Social Security numbers.
That mix can create real risk. A scammer with your name, license number and insurance details may sound much more convincing. They could pretend to be from your insurer, a repair shop, a claims department or a state agency. This follows other identity-document breaches, including the Texas data breach that hit 3 million license customers. Once driver’s license numbers leak, the risk can last much longer than a stolen credit card number.
How AssuranceAmerica responded to the breach
AssuranceAmerica said it took affected server devices offline and hired external forensic specialists to investigate. The company also said it reset passwords, deployed enhanced monitoring and threat detection tools and gave employees more cybersecurity instruction. It also notified law enforcement.
AssuranceAmerica is offering 12 months of complimentary credit monitoring for affected individuals. That can help spot some suspicious activity. However, you still need to watch your insurance account, financial accounts and mail.
Why the AssuranceAmerica breach puts drivers at risk
A driver’s license number can help an imposter build a more believable scam. Insurance information can make that scam feel personal.
For example, a caller may mention your policy, your vehicle or a claim. Then they may ask you to “verify” more information. That is where the damage can grow.
Also, stolen breach data can be matched with public records and data broker profiles. That can give criminals a fuller picture of your life. We have seen the same pattern in scams tied to travel accounts, phone accounts and other breaches, including the Booking.com breach that exposed traveler data to scams.
BEFORE YOU CONNECT ANOTHER SMART TV, TABLET OR PHONE, LOCK IT DOWN
State officials say the breach involved Medicaid, Medicare Savings Program and rehabilitation services records spanning multiple years. (Photo by Silas Stein/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Ways to stay safe after the AssuranceAmerica data breach
If you receive a notice or think your information may be involved, take these steps now to make the stolen data harder to use.
1) Read the breach notice closely
If you receive a notice from AssuranceAmerica, read it carefully. Check what information the company says may have been exposed in your case. Do not assume every affected person had the same data stolen. Some people may have had driver’s license numbers exposed. Others may also have had Tax ID information or Social Security numbers involved.
2) Use the credit monitoring offer safely
AssuranceAmerica says it is offering 12 months of complimentary credit monitoring. Use the instructions in the official notice. Be careful with emails or texts that claim to offer enrollment links. Scammers often copy real breach language to trick you.
3) Freeze your credit
A credit freeze makes it harder for someone to open a new account in your name. You need to place a freeze separately with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. It is free, and you can lift it when you need to apply for credit.
4) Add a fraud alert
A fraud alert tells lenders to take extra steps before opening credit in your name. You can place a fraud alert with one credit bureau, and that bureau should notify the others. This adds another layer of protection if your personal information was exposed.
5) Watch your insurance account
Log in to your insurance account and check for changes you do not recognize. Look for unfamiliar claims, new contact details or strange policy updates. If something looks wrong, call the company using a number from your policy documents.
6) Protect your devices from malware
Credential theft often starts with malware, a bad link or a fake download. Strong antivirus software can help block malicious files and phishing links before they cause damage. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com
CARNIVAL BREACH MAY PUT YOUR TRAVEL DATA AT RISK
Strong passwords protect your accounts, but they do not stop data brokers from collecting public records and selling personal information to people-search sites. (Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
7) Clean up your online personal data
Breached data becomes more useful when scammers can match it with your address, relatives, phone number or public records. A data removal service can help reduce what data brokers display about you. That will not undo a breach, but it can make you a harder target. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting CyberGuy.com.
8) Be suspicious of insurance-related calls
If someone calls about your policy, claim or payment, slow down. Do not share verification codes. Do not confirm sensitive details during an unexpected call. Instead, hang up and call the company back through an official number.
9) Check your DMV options
If your driver’s license number was exposed, review your state DMV’s fraud guidance. Some states may offer replacement options or identity theft guidance. The rules vary, so check directly with your state agency.
10) Use a password manager
Create strong, unique passwords for your insurance account, email and financial apps. A password manager can also help you spot fake login pages. If it will not autofill, you may be on a scam site. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at CyberGuy.com.
11) Turn on two-factor authentication
Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) for your insurance account, email and financial accounts when available. Use an authenticator app when you can. Text codes are better than nothing, but scammers often target them.
Kurt’s key takeaways
The AssuranceAmerica data breach is a reminder that your driver’s license number has become a high-value target. You may not be able to control how every company stores your information. However, you can make stolen data harder to use. Start with your credit. Then check your insurance account and watch for imposters who know just enough to sound convincing. Also, clean up the personal data already floating around online. The bigger issue is trust. Companies ask for sensitive information because they need it to do business. When that information leaks, you are the one left checking statements, freezing credit and worrying about what comes next.
What should a company owe you when it loses the ID number you use to prove who you are? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
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Epic Games and Google have just jointly withdrawn their attempt to retroactively settle the lawsuit that’s changing how Android app stores work in the United States — and that means Google will be forced to carry rival app stores inside of its own. In fact, Google tells the court, it’s ready to begin carrying third-party app stores on Wednesday, July 22nd. Does that mean it’s time for Microsoft to launch an Xbox game store on Android?
But Judge James Donato was skeptical he should abandon his original permanent injunction in favor of Google’s proposed “Registered App Stores” that users would have to sideload — instead of simply downloading third-party stores directly through Google Play. On Thursday, July 16th, both parties were set to appear in court to argue it again, but that may no longer be necessary.
Here’s is Google’s full statement on withdrawing its proposed modifications to Judge Donato’s permanent injunction, via Google spokesperson Dan Jackson:
We’ve agreed with Epic to withdraw our motion to modify the US Court’s injunction rather than prolonging this process which creates uncertainty for the ecosystem. This allows us to focus on executing our recently announced global business model evolution to deliver greater app store choice, lower prices, and more opportunities for developers and users. We remain committed to maintaining Android’s industry-leading security and fostering a competitive ecosystem where every app store and developer has the freedom to compete. In parallel, we continue to comply with the US Court’s injunction.”
Google had previously announced that it would launch its sideloaded Registered App Store program in the rest of the world, beginning with the new version of Android later this year. That means there may be two different tracks for Android: stores-within-a-store in the United States, and Registered App Stores everywhere else.
It’s not yet clear if there will be a parallel “program” for third-party app stores inside of the Google Play Store, or if companies will simply submit them the way they’d submit any other app. Technically, the court’s permanent injunction states that Google “may not prohibit the distribution of third-party Android app distribution platforms or stores through the Google Play Store,” not that it has to proactively invite them in.
For access to the Google Play catalog of apps, Google will charge stores an annual fee of $5,000 for “security and policy reviews,” and it has many additional requirements, including: stores can’t distribute apps outside of the US, have to be open to all eligible third-party developers, have “clear, non-discriminatory” trust and safety policies, and no more than 1 percent of “install attempts” can be malware.
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