DC police will treat the attacks on Teslas as hate crimes, which carry more severe penalties, according to the Washington Examiner
The Metropolitan police Department (MPD) in Washington,D.C., is investigating a series of vandalism incidents involving Tesla vehicles and properties as potential hate crimes, which come with increased penalties. This campaign of violence has emerged amid frustrations from left-wing activists regarding Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s political influence. The MPD aims too discourage further attacks by potentially classifying these incidents as hate crimes, which could substantially enhance penalties for the offenders.
Recent incidents involved individuals defacing Tesla properties with political hate speech, prompting the police to release images of suspects. The MPD clarified that while it is investigating these incidents as hate crimes, it does not guarantee prosecution as such. The vandalism has led to a response from federal authorities, with Attorney General Pam Bondi seeking to label the actions as domestic terrorism and declaring that those involved will face severe consequences. The FBI has also initiated a task force to address the rise in violent acts against Tesla.
Public reactions include concerns from victims who feel forced to keep their vehicles despite the risks. The maximum penalty for vandalism in D.C. is a fine of $5,000 and up to a year in jail, but with hate crime enhancements, the penalties may be much harsher. The situation has drawn critically important media attention, including comments from President Trump, who emphasized the severity of the situation and suggested harsh sentences for the perpetrators.
DC police to investigate Tesla attacks as hate crimes with heftier penalties
The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating Tesla attacks as hate crimes, which carry heavier penalties.
Tesla vehicles, charging stations, and dealerships have been targeted in a campaign of violence in recent weeks. The attacks came as left-wing activists expressed their frustrations over Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s large role in the Trump administration. The MPD is looking to discourage further Tesla attacks by adding hate crime charges.
A Monday MPD notice showed pictures of two people suspected of vandalizing Tesla vehicles in a spate of incidents from March 2-14. Police said they were “involved in defacing private property (hate/bias) offenses involving Teslas in the District.”
The two suspects “wrote political hate speech onto the victims’ Tesla vehicles then fled the scene,” it added.
“The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating these offenses as potentially being motivated by hate or bias. The designation can be changed at any point as an investigation proceeds, and more information is gathered. A designation as a hate crime by MPD does not mean that prosecutors will prosecute it as a hate crime,” the MPD clarified.
The MPD told the Washington Post one of the messages sprawled across a Tesla was “Ask me about my support of Nazis.”
One schoolteacher’s Tesla had “Go Doge I support Musk killing the dept of Education” written across its windshield in an elementary school parking lot. She ruled out getting rid of her vehicle to ward off further vandalism.
“I don’t have the luxury of buying another car,” she said. “I think it’s a very elitist mindset to think that someone can just turn in their car and take on another loan to satisfy the masses.”
The maximum penalty for defacing private property in Washington, D.C., is a $5,000 fine and up to a year in jail, but added hate crime charges would significantly increase these penalties.
According to police statistics, Washington hasn’t investigated a politically motivated hate crime in the past four years.
Federal authorities have begun aggressively pursuing the Tesla attacks. Last week, Attorney General Pam Bondi charged three individuals who were caught firebombing Tesla property with domestic terrorism.
“The days of committing crimes without consequence have ended,” she said. “Let this be a warning: If you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars.”
Each defendant is facing charges that carry five to 20 years in prison.
The FBI launched a task force on Monday to pursue criminals who vandalized Tesla property.
“The FBI has been investigating the increase in violent activity toward Tesla, and over the last few days, we have taken additional steps to crack down and coordinate our response. This is domestic terrorism. Those responsible will be pursued, caught, and brought to justice,” FBI Director Kash Patel said.
BONDI CHARGES THREE PEOPLE OVER TESLA VANDALISM
President Donald Trump floated sending Tesla vandals to prisons in El Salvador.
“I look forward to watching the sick terrorist thugs get 20-year jail sentences for what they are doing to Elon Musk and Tesla,” he said in a Friday post on Truth Social. “Perhaps they could serve them in the prisons of El Salvador, which have become so recently famous for such lovely conditions!”
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