98-Year-Old WWII Veteran Crushes Tesla with Tank in Fiery Protest Against Elon Musk’s Far-Right Ties

In a dramatic and symbolic act on VE Day, a 98-year-old British World War Two veteran crushed a Tesla electric car beneath the tracks of a Sherman tank, sending a powerful message against what he and others see as the troubling rise of far-right influence connected to Elon Musk. The veteran, Royal Engineer Ken Turner, who personally witnessed the horrors of fascism during the Second World War, took the wheel of the iconic tank to make a bold statement: fascism must be crushed again, no matter the era or the technology behind it.

The event took place in a field in Northamptonshire, England, and was organized by Led By Donkeys, a UK accountability project known for its provocative political actions. The Tesla car, which bore the word “FASCISM” on its number plate, was donated by a Tesla owner who expressed deep dismay at Musk’s recent political positions and his perceived support for far-right movements in Europe.

The crushed wreckage left behind by the Sherman tank was both a physical and symbolic reminder of the past battles fought against fascism, and a warning of the ideological threats that persist today.

Ken Turner, speaking before he crushed the car, said: “I’m old enough to have seen fascism the first time around, now it’s coming back. Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, is using his immense power to support the far-right in Europe and his money comes from Tesla cars. Well, I’ve got this message for Mr Musk. We’ve crushed fascism before, and we’ll crush it again. Let’s go!”

His words resonated deeply, evoking memories of the original Sherman tanks’ role in defeating fascism during World War Two, used by Britain, America, and the Soviet Union alike to bring down totalitarian regimes.

This spectacle of resistance aligns with the broader activism of Led By Donkeys, who have previously targeted Musk and Tesla with their campaigns. In recent months, they projected anti-Musk films on the walls of Tesla’s European headquarters in Amsterdam and his gigafactory in Berlin.

The group also organized what they called the world’s largest anti-Musk protest on a Welsh beach, amplifying voices critical of Musk’s political stances and his influence over global discourse.

Meanwhile, Tesla’s leadership found itself under intense media scrutiny. Recent reports claimed the company’s board was exploring options to replace Elon Musk as CEO amid plummeting sales and growing unrest among investors. However, Tesla’s chairwoman, Australian businesswoman Robyn Denholm, quickly dismissed these rumors with a blunt response: “This is absolutely false.”

Her reassurance aimed to stabilize confidence in Musk’s leadership despite the swirling controversy.

The tension at Tesla is fueled partly by Musk’s role outside the corporate world. As head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a newly created advisory body within the U.S. government, Musk’s actions have sparked significant backlash.

The department has overseen widespread cuts across federal agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service, leading to fears that tax collection and government services might suffer. 

These cuts and Musk’s public political positions have alienated many, triggering protests at Tesla dealerships worldwide and calls to boycott the company’s products.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Tesla’s board had urged Musk to devote more attention to the company’s faltering business and to communicate this publicly, signaling growing frustration behind the scenes. Tesla sales and profits have taken a noticeable hit as consumer backlash mounts, largely attributed to Musk’s political entanglements and controversial statements. Despite this, Denholm reaffirmed the board’s confidence in Musk’s ability to lead Tesla through challenging times.

Musk himself took to X (formerly Twitter), which he owns, to label the media reports of his potential removal as CEO “deliberately false.” This defensive stance comes amid a storm of criticism not just of his corporate management but of his political activism, which some accuse of promoting divisive and extremist views.

The symbolic tank crushing event stands as a stark contrast to Musk’s high-tech image and underscores the deep political tensions surrounding his influence. For Ken Turner and the activists involved, the message is clear: fascism, in any guise and under any banner, must be confronted head-on, even if it means using a WWII tank to smash a symbol of modern corporate power.

This act of defiance on VE Day, a day that marks the Allied victory over Nazi Germany, serves as a poignant reminder of history’s lessons and a call to vigilance against rising threats in the present.

The Tesla car’s destruction was not merely an act of vandalism or protest—it was a statement against the convergence of wealth, power, and extremist ideology. In an era where corporations wield significant social influence, the role of billionaires like Elon Musk in shaping political discourse has become a flashpoint for debate.

Critics argue that Musk’s vocal support or tolerance of far-right figures and causes in Europe and beyond emboldens dangerous ideologies, undermining democratic values.

This event adds to a growing list of public actions aimed at holding powerful figures accountable for their political stances. Led By Donkeys has positioned itself as a thorn in Musk’s side, exposing the billionaire’s controversial positions through creative and highly visible protests.

Whether the message will lead to a shift in Musk’s behavior or Tesla’s corporate direction remains uncertain, but the protest reflects a broader dissatisfaction with the intertwining of business, politics, and ideology in today’s world.

Ken Turner’s driving of the Sherman tank is an image loaded with symbolism: a veteran who fought fascism decades ago now physically crushing what he sees as its modern-day incarnation. His statement that “we’ve crushed fascism before, and we’ll crush it again” is a rallying cry for those concerned about the resurgence of extremist views in global politics, and a reminder that vigilance and action are necessary to preserve democratic freedoms.

As the dust settles on the crushed Tesla, the controversy surrounding Elon Musk and his influence continues to roil both the business and political landscapes. Musk remains a figure both admired and reviled, a man whose ambitions and actions spark both innovation and conflict.

This act of defiance by a WWII veteran signals that the battle lines are drawn not just in the boardrooms and social media platforms, but also in the hearts and minds of people who refuse to let history’s darkest chapters repeat.