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Tesla (TSLA-5.13%) was removed from a major auto show this week after its organizers were worried about the safety of attendees and other presenters, as the automaker grapples with protests and violent acts.
The Vancouver International Auto Show, which begins on Wednesday and ends on Sunday, made the announcement Tuesday. More than 129,000 people attended the auto show last year.
“The Vancouver Auto Show’s primary concern is the safety of attendees, exhibitors, and staff,” Eric Nicholl, the event’s executive director, said in a statement. “This decision will ensure all attendees can be solely focused on enjoying the many positive elements of the event.”
During a news conference, the auto show said Tesla was given the chance to withdraw voluntarily last week, according to CBC News. Tesla was told it would be removed yesterday afternoon.
The move comes after “Tesla Takedown” protests continue to rage against the company in protest of CEO Elon Musk’s high-profile role in President Donald Trump’s administration leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Read more: Tesla’s Elon Musk problem
Canada is also involved in a trade war with the U.S. that began with Trump’s new tariffs. The president has also mockingly referred to Canada’s prime minister as a governor, and the country as the 51st state.
“I’m also against the attacks on Canadian sovereignty… by saying Canada is not a country and that our prime minister is a governor,” Vancouver resident Andrew Balakshin, who attended a recent anti-Tesla protest, told CBC News.
Although the Tesla Takedown organizers emphasize nonviolent actions, such as dumping Tesla shares, reports of vandalism have become common in recent weeks. Tesla electric vehicles and facilities have been vandalized across the U.S., as have Superchargers. There’s even a website that claims to expose the personal information of anyone who currently owns a Tesla.
“This level of violence is insane and deeply wrong,” Musk said Tuesday on X in response to a video of several burning Teslas in Las Vegas. “Tesla just makes electric cars and has done nothing to deserve these evil attacks.”
U.S. officials, led by Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi, have labeled “violent attacks on Tesla” as domestic terrorism. Bondi said in a statement Tuesday that the Justice Department has charged several of the people allegedly behind such attacks with charges that bring at least a five-year mandatory sentence.
The attorney general also said the Justice Department will investigate “those operating behind the scenes to coordinate and fund these crimes.” Musk has claimed — without providing evidence — that an “investigation” anti-Tesla protests are being bankrolled by groups funded by ActBlue and Democratic megadonors, including George Soros and LinkedIn (MSFT-1.48%) co-founder Reid Hoffman.
“Just one more of Elon’s false claims about me: I never funded anyone for Tesla protests,” Hoffman replied to the accusations, adding that he has donated to political campaigns using ActBlue — a fundraising platform and payment processor — but none related to protests against Tesla.
