Pam Bondi issued a menacing 3-word threat as a Tesla firebomber was arrested on Monday.
Bondi said "you can run, but can't hide" before proceeding to issue a warning telling protestors, "justice is coming". In a recorded statement, the Attorney General said: "If you take part in the wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties - we will find you, arrest you and put you behind bars.
"Today I am proud to announce that the Department of Justice has unsealed federal charges against another Tesla attacker. We charged Cooper Fredrick in the fire bombing of a Tesla dealership that occurred on March 7 in Colorado. All of these cases are a serious threat to public safety therefore there will no negotiating - we will be seeking 20 years in prison. Let this be a warning - you can run but not hide - justice is coming."
President Donald Trump has also suggested treating those who attack property bearing the logo of Elon Musk's electric car company should be treated as domestic terrorists. He has even god as far as to say that those convicted of attacks against Tesla should be sent to El Salvador to serve their sentences.
Attacks and vandalism against Tesla have dramatically spiked since Trump took office in January, with suspects burning vehicles and charging stations, damaging dealerships and even vandalizing privately owned Tesla vehicles.
Peaceful protests against Musk’s purge of the U.S. government under Trump demonstrated outside Tesla dealerships throughout the U.S. and in some cities in Europe on Saturday in the latest attempt to dent the fortune of the world’s richest man.
The protesters were trying to escalate a movement targeting Tesla dealerships and vehicles in opposition to Musk’s role as the head of the newly created Department of of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, where he has gained access to sensitive data and shuttered entire agencies as he attempts to slash government spending. The biggest portion of Musk’s estimated $340 billion fortune consists of his stock in the electric vehicle company, which he continues to run while also working alongside Trump.
After earlier demonstrations that were somewhat sporadic, Saturday marked the first attempt to surround all 277 of the automaker’s showrooms and service centers in the U.S. in hopes of deepening a recent decline in the company’s sales.
By early afternoon crowds ranging from a few dozen to hundreds of protesters had flocked to Tesla locations in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Maryland, Minnesota and the automaker’s home state of Texas. Pictures posted on social media showed protesters brandishing signs such as “ Honk if you hate Elon ” and “ Fight the billionaire broligarchy.”
As the day progressed, the protests cascaded around the country outside Tesla locations in major cities such as Washington, Chicago, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Seattle, as well as towns in Virginia, Pennsylvania and Colorado. Smaller groups of counterprotesters also showed up at some sites.
