Tesla Replay
Today’s ‘Tesla Takedown‘ in Chicago’s Gold Coast was largely a replay of last week’s rally at the same location, but there were at least three notable differences. First, I saw four or five Teslas drive by during the demonstration. Based on the smiles plastered on the faces of at least two of the drivers, I suspect the drive-bys were provocations. Aside for shouts from several demonstrators demanding that the drivers sell the hated vehicles, nobody paid much attention to the passing vehicles.
Second, several demonstrators revealed themselves to be rank amateurs. Like last week, CPD permitted the demonstrators to stand on the sidewalk immediately adjacent to the Tesla dealership. At each doorway, several officers were posted, presumably to keep the demonstrators out of the dealership while preserving ingress should someone actually want to purchase a Tesla, as hard as that may be to imagine.
When CPD officers politely asked the demonstrators to move back from the doorway, three or four refused. One tall man was holding a colorfully-clad infant. The man seemingly refused to step aside, posing a quandary for the officers given the infant’s presence. I sensed that this might not end well, particularly when several people closed ranks around the man—some wanting a better look, with others providing him with what seemed to be support. At least one demonstrator yelled something about First Amendment rights. One person (possibly more) chanted “KKK, CPD.”
The officers were polite and diplomatic. No yelling, and no threats. They simply asked people to step back. At one point, two officers gently placed their hands on the man’s back, easing him (and the infant) away from the door. Much to their credit, the officers defused the situation before there was any further incident.
Earlier, one demonstrator lectured an officer standing outside another showroom door about the halcyon days of the Sixties and Musk’s evil deeds. It was a decidedly one-sided exchange. The officer stood motionless, staring off into the distance.
I had never seen these particular demonstrators before. They were rank amateurs, who apparently harbored outdated views about Chicago policing The officers who work rallies and marches are apolitical, policing police as neutrals. They simply don’t care about the issue de jour while on duty.
People are quick to criticize the police. The photographers who cover rallies and marches are largely in agreement: CPD does an excellent job of protecting demonstrators while keeping both pedestrian and vehicular traffic flowing. The officers we encounter are not looking for a fight or trouble. While a rally is in progress, they usually can be seen standing somewhere across the street—in the ready, while maintaining a low-profile. If a nearby building has a covered walkway, they often stand there, out of the driving rain or snow, or shielded from the Hawk. The demonstrators can choose whether they will brave the elements; police officers can’t.
Third, twice as many demonstrators, if not more, turned out today as compared to last week’s ‘Tesla Takedown’.’ Those covering the event put the number at well over 200. Arriving at the exact number is difficult because people drifted in and out during the 90 minutes that I was present. Moreover,, demonstrators occupied four corners rather than just two.
Unlike last weekend, those who wanted to take part in a ‘Tesla Takedown’ had four or five days of advance notice. This was one of over 200 similar events around the country, so the cable-news outlets were instrumental in spreading the word, which likely accounted for the increased turnout.
Next Saturday there will be no ‘Tesla Takedown’ rally in the Gold Coast. Indivisible Chicago has scheduled what should prove be a gigantic rally in Daley Plaza, which will be one of many mobilizations throughout the country billed as Hands Off! National Mobilization to Stop Trump and Musk’s Power Grab.
in all likelihood, the demonstrators will be back outside the Gold Coast Tesla dealership in two weeks. The ‘Tesla Takedowns’ look as if they will become part of the weekly landscape.
The organizers of today’s event should have made the four-block walk to Jane Bryne Plaza (the site of Chicago’s Old Water Tower), where the heritage Palestinian were holding another Saturday rally—start time 1:00 PM. It followed the same formula that the Palestinians have used countless times over the last 18 months. The weekly turnout no longer numbers in the thousands. Today, no more than 150 supporters took part. That same fate awaits the ‘Tesla Takedowns,’ particularly if the organizers don’t up their game.
Marches and rallies attract demonstrators and the media if they are novel or involve street theater. Aside from a few chants, today’s ‘Tesla Takedown’ did not include speeches, a march, or clever theatrics.
People standing on street corners project the same vibe as a heard of Guernsey cows grazing in the grass. Both are boring. As the weather warms, people will choose tennis, golf, sailing, drives in the country, and other recreational activities over another ‘Tesla Takedown.’
[Click on an Image to Enlarge It. The Images Are Not Necessarily in Exact Chronological Order]
He Is Hitting Elon Musk Below the Belt
A Cacophony of Signs
Gotta Love the 'Dick' Joke
People Don't Forget Elon Musk's Antics
No Fan of Oligarchs
Back Out on Delaware Street
"Don't Be a Cybercuck"
A One-Sided Diatribe
A DIY Sign on Demand
Displaying Today's Lead Banner
"No" to Tesla
The UAW Came Out
“Don’t Buy a Nazi Car”
Just Standing on the Corner
In Balance
Hoping for a Quick Sale
"We Didn't Elect This Jagoff"
ABC News 7's Maher Kawash Asking Tina Smothers Why She is Out Protesting Today
Standing Above the Crowd
Holding a Baby During a Incident Between the Police and Several Demonstrators
Where is This Headed?
CPD Officers Trying to Move the Man Holding a Baby Out of the Tesla Doorway
Someone Handed Him the Sign; He Could Not Really Explain What "Mass Shooter Ideology" Means
Displaying a Clever Visual
A Counter-Protester Challenging the Demonstrators
"Nope"
Standing with Ukraine at a 'Tesla Takedown'
"People Not Profits"
Looking Outward
Chris Pushing His Way Through the Crowd
Someone Must Have Received a Big Box from Amazon This Week
Standing on the Corner Across from the Tesla Dealership
And Photograph While You Still Can
Copyright 2025, Jack B. Siegel (except the first two images in the post, which are copyrighted 2024). All Rights Reserved. Do Not Alter, Copy, Display, Distribute, Download, Duplicate, or Reproduce Without the Prior Written Consent of the Copyright Holder.
