Despite the authorities’ obligation to remain closed due to Covid-19, Tesla has decided to override by restarting production. In a series of tweets he keeps secret, Elon Musk challenged the authorities to come and arrest him.
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“Today Tesla restarts production in violation of Alameda County rules. I will be on the front line with everyone else. If someone is arrested, I ask that it be only me ”. This tweet signed by Elon Musk, the troublemaker boss of Tesla and SpaceX, sums up the standoff that is currently taking place in California between Tesla and local authorities – and, beyond that, throughout the country.
Tesla is restarting production today against Alameda County rules. I will be on the line with everyone else. If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me.
– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 11, 2020
The Convid-19 pandemic, which hit the United States hard – but also the whole planet – has resulted in the containment of the population, including factory closings. This is the case in California, in the county of Alameda where the Tesla production plant (Fremont) is located.
Since March 24, the Tesla production plant in Fremont and the Gigafactory in New York have been shut down after idling at the start of the pandemic with reduced staff.
But since May 8, California’s governor Gavin Newsom has authorized the resumption of industrial activities in parts of the state while giving local counties carte blanche to establish a schedule for deconfinement. However, Alameda County health officials, along with six other counties and cities in the San Francisco Bay Area, have decided that companies will see the restrictions extended until the end of May.
Regarding the Fremont factory, the date of May 18 had been set for a resumption of activities, while Elon Musk wanted a resumption on May 11.
But it was not to the liking of the latter who, in a series of tweets of which he has the secret, threatened to transfer his head office to Nevada or Texas. At the very least, 20,000 employees.
Added to this was the filing of a complaint against the County of Alemada, which found that Fremont did not meet all the conditions for a takeover.
Scott Haggerty, the county supervisor for the district of Alameda for 23 years, “Do not think that Musk can simply oppose the local health order, which is more restrictive than that of the state”. He adds that “It would be a sad day if the Fremont police entered Tesla and arrested Elon Musk”.
If the latter regrets an exchange of tweets “unfortunate”, however, it remains open to discussion: “(…) We have to sit down, talk and make sure people get back to work safely”.
For the Governor of California, it is not possible that a “Enterprise that this State has substantially supported for many years now” – Tesla, not to name it – could move elsewhere. Same story from the Mayor of Fremont, Lily Mei, who campaigns for a rapid re-opening.
The standoff opposing Tesla (well… Elon Musk) to local authorities illustrates the conflictual climate that takes place in the United States between supporters of non-government intervention and those who campaign for strict containment to stop the pandemic. . We have seen here and there in some states sometimes muscular demonstrations where individuals do not hesitate to show off with weapons in hand.
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