More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
By Michael Lee Simpson
An anti-Tesla billboard urging people to "overthrow Musk" and linking him to the far-right has been erected in a Kent town.
The sign in Broadstairs features the now-infamous photo of controversial businessman Elon Musk stretching his arm out at a rally - which has been likened to a Nazi salute - accompanied by the words "Buying a Tesla? The far-right salutes you".
News of the installation on the corner of the High Street came as it was reported that President Donald Trump has told his Cabinet and inner circle that Musk is stepping back from his role as a special government employee.
The Tesla and SpaceX founder was scheduled to step down in May but is now now leaving early, reports claim.
Locals say they were "shocked" to see the sign.
Christopher Schonning, a property developer from Margate, witnessed the billboard being installed last week and was immediately taken aback by its message.
“I was having a coffee break from work when I overheard some guys putting up the billboard saying they didn’t agree with it,” he said.
"I was absolutely horrified when I saw what they were putting up.”
The 51-year-old compared the billboard’s message to propaganda tactics.
“I looked at it and thought, this is clearly an example of communism in the sense of repeating a lie about someone until people believe it,” he added.
“I was also thinking, I’m sure there could be a legal aspect — this is outright slander. That’s a pretty serious thing that should probably have quite a serious consequence.”
He also questioned the process behind how the billboard was approved, saying: “You have to go through certain channels to get a billboard up, and I wondered what channels had been gone through here to allow such a thing.
“The wording on the billboard says ‘overthrow,’ so that kind of speaks volumes about what it’s actually saying to people.”
The billboard has become a hot topic of conversation in Broadstairs.
“Even a lot of people here who probably follow more left-wing politics are quite shocked by it too,” he commented.
In an attempt to get answers, Mr Schonning reached out to Clear Channel — a company that manages billboards across England — to find out who had commissioned the sign.
Mr Schonning explained: “I actually phoned them up and tried to speak to someone in regards to who covers Kent, but they wouldn’t give out any information.”
While the origins of the billboard remain unknown, the Margate resident believes the issue raises larger questions.
“There are about a hundred questions that could be raised over this billboard,” he said.
“It’s frustratingly hardcore.”
Clear Channel did not immediately respond to request for comment.
