Canadian police arrest environmental activists for vandalizing Tesla dealership

Two environmental activists were arrested Wednesday after spraying pink paint on the facade of a Tesla dealership in Montreal, Canada to protest billionaire Elon Musk. Local police responded to an early morning call and arrested the suspects, aged 20 and 21, at the scene, according to media reports. Marcel Paré and Valérie Lachapelle, who are activists with the Last Generation Canada environmental movement, said in a statement that their protest was meant to highlight the role of billionaires and fossil fuel companies in worsening the climate crisis. "The climate crisis is destroying lives in Canada and around the world," they wrote, adding that "yet, governments continue to support fossil fuel industries instead of protecting people from disasters like wildfires and floods." Saying that "Canadians remain unprotected in the face of climate disaster and threats posed by (US President) Donald Trump and (billionaire) Elon Musk," the group called for the creation of a publicly funded "climate disaster protection agency." They argue that wealthy individuals and corporations should pay for the damage they have caused. Tesla has faced a wave of attacks at its dealerships and facilities in the United States as well, driven by dissatisfaction with Musk’s political activities, including his leadership of the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which seeks to cut the federal workforce and programs. The vandalism has caused significant financial losses, prompting Trump's strong stance and public show of support for the electric car maker.