At least 17 Tesla cars were destroyed in a fire at a dealership near Rome on Monday morning, Italian fire officials said. No one was in the dealership when the fire broke out and no injuries were reported.
Rome’s fire department said it was investigating “all avenues” as it looked into how the fire started, but did not rule out arson. Officers have interviewed dealership owners and are reviewing surveillance footage, local police said.
The fire follows a series of reports of Tesla vehicles being vandalized and defaced across Italy in recent weeks, with anti-Elon Musk and anti-Donald Trump slogans spray-painted on them.
A week ago, another car dealership in northern Rome caught fire, destroying 30 cars, including a used Tesla. The fire was initially blamed on an electrical fault, but an investigation is underway.
Also in Rome, police and social media posts show that several Teslas have been vandalized in the Garbatella neighborhood where Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni grew up. Although Meloni and Musk are described as close friends, the Italian leader has not commented on the vandalism. Tesla dealerships in Milan have also been targeted by environmental groups in recent weeks.
Reports of Tesla vandalism have also emerged in France and various parts of the United States, including the Pacific Northwest and Northeast.
There have been peaceful protests at several Tesla dealerships in the United States, with protesters chanting “Elon Musk must resign” in response to Musk’s government’s Department of Efficiency’s plan to cut federal jobs.
