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Devices described as “incendiary” by police were discovered at a Tesla showroom in Austin, Texas, on Monday morning, according to the city’s police department.
Austin police reported that at about 8 a.m., officers responded to a call regarding suspicious devices at the showroom, and the bomb squad was summoned to assess the situation.
The devices were identified as “incendiary” and were safely removed by police without incident, as stated by the Austin Police Department. Additionally, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) were present, a representative for the agency informed Nexstar’s KXAN.
There have been numerous instances of vandalism aimed at Tesla showrooms and cars throughout the nation in the past few weeks, ranging from cars being defaced to cars or even Tesla chargers set on fire. In one instance, the Associated Press reported an Oregon man was arrested after he was accused of throwing Molotov cocktails at a store in Salem. It prompted the Justice Department last week to investigate, with Attorney General Pam Bondi saying, “The swarm of violent attacks on Tesla property is nothing short of domestic terrorism.”
About a hundred protesters gathered each of the last two weekends outside the Austin showroom to voice their displeasure with Tesla CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump. Those protests were not violent and didn’t result in any arrests.
A spokesperson for the FBI confirmed it was investigating this incident, along with others recently reported. The FBI recommended the public read the PSA released Friday on those incidents and how the public can “exercise vigilance and to look out for suspicious activity in areas occupied by Tesla dealerships or Tesla-related entities.”
City Council Member Krista Laine, who represents this area of Austin, told KXAN she is discussing the incident with APD Chief Lisa Davis.
“I am incredibly thankful to our APD officers for their prompt response to this incident and quick resolution ensuring that no one was hurt. I strongly condemn any action that puts the people of Austin in danger. No matter the motivation, violence of any kind is unacceptable. I am deeply relieved that no one was hurt during this incident and am in discussion with APD Chief Lisa Davis about how to ensure our residents’ protection in the case of future violent escalations,” Laine said.