A Tesla showroom in the Meatpacking district in Manhattan has reportedly been the site of reckless Cybertruck driving. (Getty Images )
The letter comes as protests against Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, have unfolded at showrooms across the country in response to Musk's role helping lead the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
A "Tesla Takedown" movement formed in recent days, with more than 200 protests planned on Saturday in the U.S., and another few hundred planned protests in Canada and Europe as part of the "global day of action." In the U.S. the Saturday protests were promoted by actors, congressional legislators, academics and activists who led a "mass mobilizing call" to rally support, and described in the media as a "grassroots" effort to buck Musk and President Donald Trump, while working to tank Tesla's stock.
Protesters during a Tesla Takedown rally outside a Tesla showroom on March 29, 2025. (Getty Images)
The NYC councilman continued in his letter that the NYPD and NYC Department of Transportation should investigate the reports to "ensure these dangerous activities are stopped."
"This behavior poses a serious public safety risk and is unacceptable on the streets of our city," Bottcher said. "It threatens the well-being of everyone who lives, works, and travels through this area on a daily basis. As the Council Member representing this district, I take these concerns extremely seriously, and I believe swift action is warranted to prevent further harm."
Elon Musk's Tesla showroom locations have faced repeated protests over his role in DOGE. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)
DOGE is a temporary cross-departmental organization that was established to slim down and streamline the federal government. The group will be dissolved on July 4, 2026.
Five Tesla vehicles were set on fire and shot at in what police are investigating as a "targeted attack" at a local repair center in Las Vegas on March 18, 2025. (Hal Sparks via Storyful)
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Musk remarked on X Saturday that it is "insanely ironic" that "the people shooting bullets into Tesla stores, burning down cars and generally being violent are calling me a Nazi when I have done literally zero violence at all."
Fox News Digital reached out to Tesla regarding the alleged dangerous test drivers and Bottcher's letter, but did not immediately receive a reply.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/nyc-dem-calls-nypd-investigate-car-shoppers-aggressively-test-driving-teslas-city-streets