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By Shane Croucher
Senior Editor
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A suspicious fire at a Tesla dealership in Rome has destroyed 17 vehicles, according to local reports.
Italy's Roma Today publication said firefighters were alerted to the blaze shortly after 4 a.m. on Monday, 31 March. Nobody was injured, but the fire also affected a building where other Tesla vehicles are stored, Il Messaggero reported.
The fire's cause is unknown and under investigation, and arson cannot yet be ruled out, Il Tempo reported. Newsweek has contacted Rome's fire service by email for comment, and also Tesla's European press office.
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Why It Matters
The news comes as Tesla faces violent attacks and vandalism around the world in response to CEO Elon Musk's political activity. In the U.S., the FBI is treating such attacks as domestic terrorism.
The blowback from Musk's work spearheading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is cutting federal spending, his outspoken political beliefs, and his efforts to help nationalist parties in other countries, is causing concern to some Tesla investors.
What to Know
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Tesla has 438 global stores and an additional 100 service centers. In the U.S., there are 276 Tesla dealerships.
The FBI last week issued a public warning as protests continued, saying such incidents have included "arson, gunfire, and vandalism, including graffiti expressing grievances against those the perpetrators perceive to be racists, fascists, or political opponents."
"These criminal actions appear to have been conducted by lone offenders, and all known incidents occurred at night," the FBI said in a statement.
"Individuals require little planning to use rudimentary tactics, such as improvised incendiary devices and firearms, and may perceive these attacks as victimless property crimes."
There is also a peaceful backlash against Musk, with protests taking place outside dealerships.
On Saturday, protests against Tesla took place in 200 places across the world in what activists called a "global day of action" in response to Musk's spearheading of federal spending cuts in the U.S. and his intervention in the politics of other countries.
In Europe, data shows a sharp decline in sales of Tesla vehicles amid the anti-Musk backlash and increased competition from Chinese electric vehicles.
Sales in the European Union (EU) of vehicles made by Tesla plummeted by 49 percent year-on-year in the first two months of 2025, industry group The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) said.
What People Are Saying
Musk, responding to reports of attacks, wrote on his X platform: "Sure is insanely ironic that the people shooting bullets into Tesla stores, burning down cars and generally being violent are calling me a Nazi when I have done literally zero violence at all."
Organizers of the Tesla Takedown protest movement wrote on their website: "Elon Musk is destroying our democracy, and he's using the fortune he built at Tesla to do it. We are taking action at Tesla to stop Musk's illegal coup."
Tesla investor Ross Gerber told Newsweek earlier in March: "Why has the board of directors sat quietly while so much brand value has been eroded to the point that cars are being set on fire? It's been wildly negligent that the board has done nothing to curb Elon's behavior, especially around extremist statements."
What's Next
Italian authorities are investigating the cause of the fire in Rome. It remains to be seen if this was an accident or a deliberate attack.
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