Elon Musk has said that “Canada is not a real country”, only one of its blows on social networks in the American neighbor.
But people in Canada have made real damage to vehicles and dealers who belong to their electric car, Tesla company, according to the police.
More than 80 teslas had their punctured tires and the bodies scratched a lot in Hamilton, Ontario, police said Thursday. Several acts of vandalism against the property of Tesla in the United States have also been committed.
Hamilton, west of Toronto, is the heart of the Canadian steel manufacturing industry and a battle in the country’s commercial war with the United States.
President Trump has imposed tariffs on Steel and other Canadian products and Canada has responded by applying exports taxes worth $ 20.5 billion from the United States.
Trump has also claimed that Canada has “scammed” the United States and wants to make it the state 51.
Canadians have responded with a base protest, changing the way they buy, travel and think about their relationship with the United States, the closest ally of the country and the commercial partner. Even the appreciated legend of Canadian hockey Wayne Gretzky is not immune to fury for his silence about the actions taken by Trump, who is a friend.
Canadian provincial leaders have introduced their own measures to retaliate against tariffs, including the elimination of American alcoholic products from liquor stores and prohibit US companies requesting acquisition contracts.
The Canadians have also directed their anger to Mr. Musk, the billionaire businessman, who is helping to lead Mr. Trump’s effort to remodel the federal government.
In Montreal, two members of a climate defense group called Let Generation Canada sprayed the exterior of a Tesla concessionaire in Pink Aerosol painting on Wednesday, according to a statement issued by the group.
The group said he had committed the act because he believed that Musk was “destroying democracies and spreading climatic denial.”
The two members involved in the episode were arrested later, authorities said.
The concerns about vandalism and protests led the organizers of a recent auto show in Vancouver to exclude Tesla from the event.
“This decision will ensure that all attendees can focus only on enjoying the many positive elements of the event,” said Eric Nicholl, executive director of the program, in a statement.
Tesla dealers in other Canadian cities, including Ottawa, the capital, have attracted angry protesters with signs.
Ontario, the most populous province of Canada, canceled a contract worth 100 million Canadian dollars, around $ 70 million, with Starlink, the satellite Internet company owned by Mr. Musk.
Last month, thousands of Canadians asked the Government to revoke the Canadian citizenship and passport of Mr. Musk in a petition that now has around 376,000 signatures.
