A man in South Carolina spray-painted a Tesla charging station on Friday with a message critical of President Donald Trump and in support of Ukraine.
North Charleston Police responded after an arson was reported on Tanger Outlet Boulevard.
The suspect appears to have painted the phrase “long live the Ukraine” alongside an explicit reference to Trump on the pavement next to the charging stations, according to a report from WCSC-TV.
Witnesses reported that the suspect then tossed Molotov cocktails at the charging stations, yet appeared to have caught his own back on fire in the process.
He then fled the scene on foot, passing a Zaxby’s fried chicken restaurant and running toward a cluster of hotels as bystanders called emergency services.
When the North Charleston Fire Department arrived, they severed power to the charging stations and collected the discarded beer bottles.
First responders did not report any injuries.
The man was wearing a gray jacket or hoodie along with a mask, according to another report from The Post and Courier.
Police believe he caused approximately $60,000 in damages.
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is now investigating the incident as well.
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson condemned the apparent arson, according to WCSC-TV.
“Violence is never the answer. While peaceful protest is a fundamental right, destruction of property and endangering others is unacceptable,” Wilson said.
“I have full confidence that law enforcement will find those responsible for the Tesla charging station arson in North Charleston and hold them accountable.”
The arson in Charleston indeed seems to be one of several politically motivated attacks directed toward Elon Musk, the chief executive of Tesla and a confidant of President Donald Trump who is currently leading the Department of Government Efficiency.
Several Tesla charging stations at a mall near Boston, Massachusetts, were set ablaze on March 3, according to a report from CNN.
Police near Portland, Oregon, likewise responded after shots were fired toward a Tesla showroom on Thursday.
At least seven bullets were fired, causing damage to three vehicles, with one projectile passing through an office wall and into a computer monitor.
Lucy Grace Nelson, meanwhile, faces federal charges for allegedly vandalizing a Tesla dealership in Loveland, Colorado, and painting “Nazi” and other words on the vehicles and windows of the store in January and February, according to the CNN report.
She allegedly tossed Molotov cocktails during the vandalism.
Musk’s social media platform X also experienced a hacking incident on Monday.
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