Italy's deputy premier Salvini offers Musk his solidarity.

A suspicious fire at a Tesla dealership in Rome that destroyed 17 cars in the early hours of Monday was an act of "terrorism", the company's billionaire owner Elon Musk has claimed.

Police are investigating the possibility that anarchists were behind the blaze which broke out at the showroom in the eastern outskirts of the Italian capital at around 04.30.

Commenting on Monday under a post about the fire on X, the social media platform that he owns, Musk used the single word "terrorism".

The incident followed a day of global 'Tesla Takedown' protests over the weekend in which protesters urged people to boycott the electric car company.

#Incendio in una concessionaria #Tesla a #Roma, danneggiate dalle fiamme 17 auto: le immagini dal drone delle vetture carbonizzate pic.twitter.com/XeTDoZN7oD— Local Team (@localteamit) March 31, 2025

Tesla cars have become targets for vandalism - including in Rome in recent weeks - in response to Musk's right-wing activism. In the US, the FBI is treating such attacks as domestic terrorism.

"Violent protests, insults, assaults, and arson" - Italy's deputy premier and transport minister Matteo Salvini wrote on X on Monday evening - "Too much unjustified hatred against the Tesla car company. The season of hate and conflict must come to an end as soon as possible."

Last month a group of activists staged a protest at a Tesla showroom in Milan against Musk's role "in financing far-right movements globally".