A week ago, a billboard was set up at a bus stop in east London. The caption reads, “From 0 to 1939 in just 3 seconds,” accompanied by an image of Elon Musk in a Tesla. Beneath this, it’s labeled as “The Swasticar.” Currently, a TikTok video showing the installation of the billboard has garnered over 10 million views and 1.1 million likes.
The organization behind this viral incident is a U.K.-based collective known as Everyone Hates Elon. As one of their spokespeople explains anonymously to The Hollywood Reporter, “This is a time when people are fed up with billionaires meddling in our politics.” They question, “So how do you take down the wealthiest individual on the planet?
The EHE team is presently a small group of individuals aiming to gradually irritate Elon Musk, who at that time was tweeting in support of “Free Tommy Robinson.” This began in January when a group of friends grew frustrated with Musk, the founder of Tesla, owner of X and then head of Donald Trump’s Department for Government Efficiency (DOGE). Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is a far-right activist and anti-Islam campaigner in the U.K., currently serving jail time for making false statements about a teenage Syrian refugee.
Beyond this, Musk has repeatedly criticized British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, linking him to a notorious U.K. grooming scandal. He’s made vague and unproven accusations against Starmer, suggesting that he was “deeply complicit in the widespread rapes, trading investigation silence for votes.” Additionally, Musk labeled one of Starmer’s ministers, Jess Phillips, as a “genocide rape apologist” due to her rejection of a proposal for the government to launch a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation. Later, Phillips stated that local inquiries were more effective at driving change.
In the past few weeks, Elon Musk has kept stoking political debates in Europe by sharing messages like “From MAGA to MEGA: Let’s Make Europe Great Once More!” and expressing support for extremist political parties in Germany and the UK.
[Musk] has been titled the wealthiest individual globally,” EHE notes. “However, his fortune swelled by an additional $200 billion last year, while nurses in our country struggle with food banks. This leads one to question whether he has the audacity to express opinions about what is necessary or desired by the British public.
Following Trump’s inauguration, Elon Musk made a gesture reminiscent of a Nazi salute in full view of global spectators. This action provided EHE with the push they required. They commented, “Alright, Elon, if you want to reveal your true self to the world, let’s also show the world what Tesla is truly about.” They believe that the public can most effectively express their dissent against the tech tycoon through supporting Tesla’s business operations.
The campaign significantly gained momentum, with it amassing millions of likes on social media and receiving an endorsement from Stephen King. As a result, EHE’s fundraiser, “The People Versus Elon,” is projected to raise £150,000 ($190,000) by the next year, thanks to consistent donors. The campaign, “People versus Elon,” allows small contributions of just one penny each time Musk posts on X (approximately 2,000 times a month). Additionally, they are selling “Don’t Buy a Swastikar” stickers.
EHE has announced that they will be using their funds to support causes that Elon Musk appears to disfavor, primarily those advocating for transgender rights, migrants, refugees, and fighting racism and fascism in the U.K. Notably, EHE views these relatively small contributions as a significant act of defiance: “There’s something incredibly powerful about the notion of modest actions backed by modest donations challenging the world’s wealthiest individual. There is a worldwide movement of people who refuse to tolerate his fascism and nonsense.
THR conversed with an individual associated with Everyone Hates Elon, addressing the opposition in Europe towards U.S. events, confronting aggressive Tesla owners, and providing a platform for the world to challenge Musk’s political stance: “It would be fantastic if we could find ways to turn billionaires into failures once more. … He’s a reprehensible figure, and it’s crucial that we unite to limit his profound impact on our lives.”
Are you comfortable telling me where you’re based and how many of you there are?
Scattered across the United Kingdom, we form a tiny yet close-knit circle of friends who have collaborated on various initiatives for quite some time now. At the start of this year, Elon Musk’s calls for new elections in the U.K., advocating for Tommy Robinson’s release from prison, ignited our ire. We felt that a billionaire shouldn’t meddle with our democratic processes simply because he controls Twitter. Matters escalated further following his salute at Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Was that salute the catalyst in kickstarting your campaign?
Originally, our discussions began in early January due to his involvement in British politics and calls for elections in the U.K., along with his Twitter messages like “Free Tommy Robinson” and “Make Europe Great Again.” He is the wealthiest individual globally, amassing an additional $200 billion last year while nurses in our country struggle by using food banks. Despite this fortune, he presumes to speak about the needs or desires of British people, which we believe he lacks understanding of our nation and lifestyle. The decisive factor that triggered action was his controversial salute.
Following the event, we initiated our project. We christened it “People Versus Elon,” a fundraiser where individuals promise to donate a penny for every tweet he posts, with the funds going towards causes he dislikes. Currently, we’re approaching 1000 pledges, which translates to an estimated £150,000 ($190,000) raised this year. Since then, it has grown exponentially.
You’ve already raised £150,000?
Next year, we expect to have accumulated that amount, as it comes from our consistent donors. In the initial month alone, we’ve successfully managed to raise approximately £12,000 ($15,275).
We’ve been receiving numerous small contributions, and our goal is to support even more initiatives with such modest donations from everyday individuals. I believe that the concept of small acts financed by small donations challenging the world’s wealthiest person carries a tremendous amount of power.
Which charities or causes do you contribute to, and are there any specific ones that Elon is particularly critical of?
We collaborate with organizations such as Everyday Racism, which focuses on combating everyday racism. Among these organizations are Rainbow Migration, a group whose name alone he would likely disapprove of, and Women for Refugee Women, an organization that assists women refugees. Additionally, there’s a group that supports LGBTQI+ refugees, as well as one that champions hope over hate in the U.K. These organizations strive to help transgender individuals, migrants, and refugees, and they aim to combat racism and hate-related issues within the U.K.
Have you noticed any high-profile or famous figures supporting your cause?
Just yesterday, renowned author Stephen King shared our poster on Bluesky, an exciting moment indeed! Our podcast, The Guilty Feminist, recently discussed our People Versus Elon campaign. Notably, a few comedians have also shown their support by sharing posts.
Can I ask, are you in your 20s, 30s?
I’d rather not say.
No worries at all. Could you please share the story behind the creation of the “Swasticar” poster? Seems like it’s generating quite a buzz.
The original: Not a problem. So tell me about how the “Swasticar” poster came to be. It’s getting you some momentum.
I’d love to hear the story of how the “Swasticar” poster was made, as it appears to be gaining popularity.
At Elon Musk’s salute during Donald Trump’s inauguration, we felt compelled to take action. Our intention was to expose his hypocrisy. It’s a tricky situation where we found ourselves pondering, how can one criticize the wealthiest individual on the planet?
A significant portion of his riches primarily stems from Tesla. However, additional wealth is derived from SpaceX, which includes government contracts and more. Yet, Tesla represents a public endorsement for Elon Musk’s ideals. Every time someone purchases a Tesla, they are essentially endorsing Musk and his values. He demonstrated his principles when he attended Donald Trump’s inauguration. We believe it is crucial for people to understand his beliefs and oppose them by not buying Teslas. To express this idea creatively, we attempted various methods. Firstly, we visited a Tesla showroom with a cardboard cutout of him doing the salute, confronting potential buyers. One customer became quite angry and told us to leave. This video garnered several million views on TikTok. Another attempt was… If Elon wants to reveal his true self to the world, let’s expose Tesla for what it truly is, and he has already started making comparisons to Nazi Germany with that salute. So, he led us halfway there.
At this moment, Tesla’s sales in Europe have significantly decreased due to various factors. Meanwhile, European political figures seem eager to disassociate themselves from the Trump-Musk administration in the U.S. Is there perhaps more opposition towards Elon Musk in Europe as a result?
It appears that resistance to Elon Musk’s involvement in U.K. politics, which we initially expected to be primarily a European concern, has turned out to be a worldwide issue. Instead of focusing on Musk’s political activities in the U.K., our campaign seems to have struck a chord with people across the globe. We see evidence of this through the engagement on our social media platforms and the high demand for our ‘Don’t Buy a Swasticar’ stickers, which are not just popular in Europe but also in countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia. People have been reaching out to express their support for our cause. So, while it is clear that many Europeans stand against Musk and his ideologies, I believe there is a broader global movement of individuals who refuse to tolerate his fascism and absurdities.
What is the end goal for Everyone Hates Elon? What are you capable of doing?
Our goal is to demonstrate that everyday individuals can challenge billionaire influence, even if it’s just a small step at a time. It would be fantastic if our actions could make billionaires lose some of their power. More importantly, we’re tired of billionaires meddling in politics, and we’re making our disapproval known. We believe that every person has the ability to contribute. One key message we’ve received, and something we felt strongly about in January, is a sense of powerlessness when reading about Elon Musk’s actions. You might think, “How can someone like me stand up against such wealth?” We aim to show people that they’re not alone. Our goal is to create opportunities for others to resist as well. So if they choose to donate, we’ll send them a PDF of the poster. We’re also offering stickers and other ways for people to express their agency and power.
Are you worried at all about law enforcement when it comes to your protesting?
No comment on that one.
Have you been looking on at what’s happening in the States in horror?
People engaged in the campaign – whether they’ve donated funds, shared videos online, or watched TikToks – are all driven by a deep sense of revulsion and shock regarding the situation and Elon Musk’s actions. This man has been known to post pictures of an empty office on a Monday, claiming there’s no one present, while his ex-partner, Grimes, gains attention for revealing that he ignores her pleas to cover their child’s medical bills, leaving her no choice but to address the issue publicly.
He’s quite a formidable character, and it’s crucial that we unite to lessen his significant impact on our lives. Imagine a scenario where we never have to worry about him again? That’s the aspiration. A world where Musk is no longer a concern in our daily thoughts would be delightful. It’s an appealing vision.
Have your videos accumulated tens of millions of views on TikTok and Instagram? Does this level of response inspire you?
Initially, we didn’t envision ourselves embarking on this journey for such an extended period. Instead, we decided to give it a shot and see where it led. To our surprise, the feedback has been phenomenal, leaving us astounded. This shows us that we’re not the only ones experiencing what we have been feeling over the past couple of months. The overwhelming support from others gives us the motivation and determination to continue.
Is the idea to expand your group globally?
I’m really excited to reach our destination. It seems we have quite a journey ahead. I hope people continue to support our crowdfunding campaign so we can consistently irritate Elon Musk with small actions. To be honest, it feels like preparing for the next match in a professional soccer league, but that’s essentially what we’re doing.
We’ve reached a point where the public is tired of billionaires meddling in our political affairs, and there’s a growing desire for change. If you’re one of those who want to be part of this movement, stay tuned – we’ll keep you updated on our progress!
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2025-03-04 23:26