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A 98-year-old British veteran crushed a Tesla Model 3 with a Sherman tank in a spectacular protest against Elon Musk. Behind this shock gesture was a denunciation of the billionaire’s political commitment, but also, ironically, an unintentional tribute to the robustness of Tesla vehicles.
A tank against Tesla
The scene, filmed in a British field, quickly made the rounds on the web. It shows Second World War veteran Ken Turner climbing into an imposing Sherman tank to run over a blue Tesla Model 3 bearing a “Fascism” sign. This powerful gesture, orchestrated by the activist collective Led By Donkeys, is intended to denounce what the group sees as Elon Musk’s support for the European far right.
“We’ve crushed fascism before, we’ll do it again” proclaims Ken Turner in front of the camera, recalling his commitment to fighting the totalitarianisms of the 20th century. According to him, Elon Musk, “the richest man in the world, is using his power to support the far right in Europe, and his money comes from Tesla cars”.
This spectacular action comes against a backdrop of growing tensions surrounding Elon Musk. The boss of Tesla and X (formerly Twitter) is increasingly criticised for his political stance, particularly his rapprochement with Donald Trump and his open support for populist parties in Germany and the UK. In fact, Tesla’s sales in Europe plummeted in the first quarter of 2025, a sign of the growing unease surrounding the brand.
This is not the first time that activists have symbolically attacked Musk. In 2024, a giant image of the entrepreneur mimicking a Nazi salute was projected onto the Berlin Gigafactory by another activist collective, with the provocative slogan “Heil Tesla”.
A media stunt… that works to Tesla’s advantage?
But the Led By Donkeys operation came with a big surprise. Despite the Sherman’s colossal weight – between 30 and 38 tonnes – the Tesla Model 3 withstood the onslaught surprisingly well. While the glass roof and windows were pulverised, the main structure and doors still appeared intact after the tank had passed through. Some observers even noted that a passenger could have survived the crash, underlining the solidity of the electric vehicle.
The video, which was supposed to denounce Musk, unwittingly served as publicity for Tesla’s reputation for safety. The Californian carmaker is regularly praised for the robustness of its models, which are among the safest on the world car market.
This sequence illustrates the radicalisation of the debate surrounding Elon Musk. Between technological idolatry and political rejection, the businessman is now the focus of all passions. Acts of vandalism against Tesla cars are multiplying, as are public demonstrations of distrust. Yet each attack also seems to strengthen the brand’s reputation – and sometimes its image.
It remains to be seen whether these spectacular actions will have a lasting impact on public perception and Tesla’s sales. One thing is certain: the image battle surrounding Elon Musk and his companies has only just begun, and the opponents have not said their last word.
Beyond the simple destruction of property, it was a real clash of values and generations that took place in this muddy field in the United Kingdom. On one side, a veteran embodying the memory of the fight against fascism; on the other, a visionary entrepreneur accused of complacency towards controversial ideologies. Part political provocation, part technological show of force, the episode reveals the complexity of a debate in which each side seeks to impose its own interpretation of history and, incidentally, of the future.
