‘Tesla Takedown’ protest drives crowd to Lisle
A “Tesla Takedown” drew more peaceful protesters than expected Tuesday in Lisle.
“This was more successful than we ever would have imagined,” said Reid McCollum, chair of the Democratic Party of DuPage County.
He estimated that more than 600 people gathered “to send a message that we’re not going to quietly watch our democracy get unraveled by an unelected billionaire and a president with authoritarian tendencies.”
Primarily a rebuke of Tesla co-founder Elon Musk, President Donald Trump’s head of the Department of Government Efficiency, protesters waving signs and yelling slogans lined the north parkway of Ogden Avenue, centered in front of the Tesla dealership, 3200 Ogden Ave., and extending about 200 yards.
Passing cars and trucks honked in approval, though at least one driver signaled displeasure with a raised middle finger. As a news helicopter circled overhead, Lisle police officers monitored the action, some uniformed, others in plainclothes.
Tesla employees inside declined to comment. Protesters had no reservations.
“I just hope that some people will wake up that we’re losing our democracy. That’s what I hope. I don’t have a lot of faith right now. But this gives me a little hope,” said Lois Prelesnik of Downers Grove, retired from the Edward Hines Jr. Veterans Affairs Hospital.
“This is a grass-roots movement,” said Sharon Riggle of Batavia, leader of Indivisible Batavia Aurora Area, a branch of a national organization based in Washington, D.C.
She stood out in a full rat costume and carried a sign reading “Deport Musk Rat.”
“We believe that the answer to everything is citizens standing up and getting involved and saying what they think. We create our politicians, so we need to ensure they know what we’re thinking,” Riggle said.
It was not charitable.
“It’s like any good thing has to be stomped on: science research, national parks, air traffic control, for heaven’s sake. It’s like they want to burn things down so they can rule the ashes,” said Lisle resident Mark Spieglan.
Interspersed in the crowd were a few Trump and Musk supporters, including former state Rep. Jeanne Ives of Wheaton and Schaumburg’s Mark Rice, who lost in November to U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi in the 8th Congressional District election.
“There’s overwhelmingly a lot of very angry, misinformed American citizens, and I’m here to try to inject a little common sense into the conversation here,” Rice said.