Seven Tesla charging stations were intentionally set on fire on Monday at a shopping center outside Boston, the police said, the latest in a series of attacks against the electric vehicle company since its owner, Elon Musk, built a deep partnership with President Trump.
The charging stations were set on fire around 1:10 a.m. at a shopping center in Littleton, Mass., about 30 miles outside of Boston, according to a news release from the Littleton Police Department.
The police said they told the Littleton Electric Light & Water Department to shut down the power to the charging stations as “heavy, dark smoke” engulfed several of them. Before the electric company could respond, another charging station caught fire.
There were 12 charging stations at the site, according to a Tesla map.
Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.
Tesla showrooms and dealerships across the country have been targeted with protests and vandalism since Mr. Trump became president and chose Mr. Musk to accelerate his agenda.
The protests have reflected to Mr. Musk and his recent political moves, including his radical takeover of the federal bureaucracy and his efforts to cut federal jobs.
On Thursday, federal prosecutors charged a Colorado resident with malicious destruction of property, accusing her of spray painting the word “Nazi” onto the side of a Tesla dealership and planting an incendiary device near a vehicle, according to a news release from the U.S. attorney in Colorado.
Some vehicle owners are now selling their Teslas to distance themselves from the billionaire chief executive.
Still, Teslas are by far the most popular electric vehicles in the United States, and some car owners have said on Facebook groups that they have bought one to show their support for Mr. Musk.
