Janice R. Andrews
German authorities have launched a formal investigation into a provocative projection on the exterior of the Tesla Gigafactory in Grünheide, located just outside Berlin. Late Thursday, images of Elon Musk performing what appeared to be a Nazi-style salute were projected onto the factory wall, accompanied by the German word “Heil.” Combined with Musk’s company name, this formed the phrase “Heil Tesla,” an apparent play on the infamous “Heil Hitler” salute used by the Nazi regime under Adolf Hitler. The incident has raised legal and ethical questions in Germany, where the public use of anti-constitutional symbols is prohibited.
The British campaign group Led By Donkeys has claimed responsibility for the stunt, which German police say could breach laws prohibiting the display of symbols and gestures linked to illegal organizations. Known for its political satire and public projections targeting prominent figures, Led By Donkeys worked alongside the German satirical group Center for Political Beauty to orchestrate the display. Video recordings and photographs of the projection were shared widely on social media, fueling immediate debate about the legality of the action and the broader implications of referencing Nazi symbolism in public.
In a statement released on Friday, the local police force in Frankfurt (Oder) acknowledged the seriousness of the incident. While the initial response had cast doubt on whether the projection truly occurred, law enforcement officials later confirmed that they are now treating the evidence of this stunt as authentic. The police cited an initial suspicion of the use of symbols associated with anti-constitutional organizations, emphasizing that displaying or replicating Nazi gestures or phrases remains a criminal offense in Germany.
According to the police, the projected image references an incident at the recent inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump for his second term in office. During a celebratory speech in Washington, Musk was seen raising his arm in a manner that prompted speculation over whether he was performing a Nazi-style salute. White nationalist groups in the United States reportedly applauded the gesture. Musk and others close to him have steadfastly denied any suggestion that he intended to mimic a Nazi salute, insisting it was simply a gesture of acknowledgment directed at the cheering audience. Nevertheless, many critics remain unconvinced, asserting that such a motion is fraught with dangerous connotations.
German law is unequivocal in its criminalization of Nazi symbols, slogans, and gestures. Therefore, authorities must determine whether this projection, which superimposed Musk’s likeness and the phrase “Heil Tesla,” constitutes a punishable offense. If the public prosecutor’s office concludes there is a case to answer, participants in the stunt could face charges for glorifying or trivializing Nazi ideology, even if the image was part of a satirical or protest campaign.
Led By Donkeys, established in 2018 as an anti-Brexit campaign group, has frequently employed large-scale guerrilla projections aimed at political leaders in the United Kingdom. Past targets have included high-profile Conservative politicians such as former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and right-wing Brexit advocates like Nigel Farage. Their actions, often projected onto landmark buildings, typically seek to highlight controversial policy statements or inconsistencies in the politicians’ public positions. In this instance, group representatives told the British Press Association that Musk’s alleged support for far-right ideas in Europe makes the Tesla brand politically charged, claiming it “isn’t a great look” to own a Tesla if the company’s owner is actively engaging with extremist rhetoric.
Center for Political Beauty spokesperson Philipp Ruch confirmed the group’s involvement in the German leg of the operation. He described how activists used a specialized projector, positioned several hundred meters away from the Tesla complex, to beam the video onto the vast exterior walls under the cover of darkness. Ruch hinted that further stunts could follow, suggesting that the ongoing actions are intended to provoke debate about Musk’s political influence and the broader normalization of far-right symbolism.
Tesla has so far declined to issue a detailed statement on the projection but had previously addressed the broader controversy surrounding Musk’s salute, calling allegations that he gave a Nazi salute “tired” and “unfair.” The company insisted that opponents are employing “dirty tricks,” adding that critics misconstrue Musk’s actions for their own agendas. On social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), Musk posted several puns referencing historical Nazi figures, prompting widespread backlash from various civil society groups.
One of the most vocal critics has been the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). While stressing the importance of giving people “a bit of grace,” the ADL condemned Musk’s online jokes, emphasizing that references to Holocaust perpetrators trivialize the atrocities committed by the Nazi regime. In a statement, the organization declared that “making inappropriate and highly offensive jokes that trivialize the Holocaust only serves to minimize the evil and inhumanity of Nazi crimes, denigrate the suffering of both victims and survivors, and insult the memory of the six million Jews murdered.”
As the investigation unfolds, observers around the world are watching to see how German authorities will navigate the intersection of free speech, political satire, and rigorous anti-Nazi legislation. Regardless of the legal outcome, the incident highlights ongoing tensions surrounding the influence of global tech leaders like Elon Musk and the broader fight against extremist symbolism. For many Germans, any imagery harking back to the Nazi era is a stark reminder of a dark chapter in the nation’s history—one that they are determined never to repeat.
