“Hail Tesla”: Elon Musk’s tribute to a car manufacturing plant in Germany – National

Image for Elon Musk Made a Straight arm, Nazi-like gesture During his speech today, Monday, before the American President Donald Trump It was expected to open on Tesla Gigafactory in Berlin Brandenburg on Wednesday evening.

The photo showed Musk making the gesture next to the words “Heil Tesla.” UK activist group Led By Donkeys and the German Center for Political Beauty were behind the show, and shared a joint Instagram post from the two groups. “Tesla Gigafactory, Berlin. #LedByDonkeys,” the caption read.

Led By Donkeys also shared a small document on Instagram on Thursday, with the caption: “The richest man in the world, Elon Musk, is promoting the far right in Europe. Don’t buy @teslamotors. Location: Tesla Gigafactory, Berlin.

“This is the Tesla Gigafactory in Berlin where Elon Musk manufactures Tesla cars for the European market. It is factories like this that have made him the richest person in the world. But now he is using that wealth, the billions of dollars he has made selling Tesla cars, to promote far-right parties.” “He openly supports the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in the upcoming German elections, claiming that only the AfD can save Germany.”

The display of the image at the Tesla Gigafactory comes after Musk’s speech on Monday at Trump’s inauguration. He thanked Trump supporters before He hits his hand on his chest Extend his arm straight out and up with his palm facing down.

“I just want to thank you for making this happen,” Musk said during his speech at Capital One Arena, referring to Trump’s victory in the US presidential election. Then he struck his hand on his chest and extended his arm outward and upward with his palm facing down.

“My heart breaks for you,” Musk said after turning to make a similar gesture in the other direction.

Trending now

• “What the hell is going on?” Why did the British Columbia community erect a border fence with the United States?

• Elon Musk responds to accusations that he gave the Nazi salute at Trump’s inauguration

Musk responded to accusations that his gesture appeared to be a Nazi salute on the X several hours after leaving the stage.

“Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. “The ‘everyone is like Hitler’ attack is pretty exhausting,” Musk said. books.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which campaigns against anti-Semitism, came to Musk’s defense.

“It appears that @elonmusk made a strange gesture in a moment of excitement, not a Nazi salute, but again, we appreciate that people are on edge,” the organization wrote in a social media post Monday afternoon.

“At this moment, all parties should give each other a little grace, and maybe even the benefit of the doubt, and take a breath. This is a new beginning. Let’s hope for healing and work toward unity in the months and years ahead.”

At the same time, The ADL website describes the “Hitler salute” or the “Nazi salute” However, it consists of “raising the outstretched right arm with the palm facing down.”

“In Nazi Germany, this was often accompanied by chanting or shouting ‘Heil Hitler’ or ‘Sieg Heil’.” The description continues. “Since World War II, neo-Nazis and other white supremacists have continued to use the salute, making it the most common white supremacist hand sign in the world.”

Musk has not responded or publicly interacted with the image being shown to the Tesla factory as of this writing.

—

—With files from Global News’ Michelle Butterfield and the Associated Press

&Copy 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.