A Pennsylvania man was caught on camera vandalizing a Tesla by carving a swastika into its surface, an act that has sparked outrage and concern over rising incidents of hate-related crimes toward Elon Musk and the Trump administration. The disturbing footage, which has since gone viral, shows the man targeting the vehicle in broad daylight.
Chadd Ritenbaug was filmed defacing a Tesla in the parking lot of a Planet Fitness in Philadelphia. The video shows Ritenbaug exiting his car, crouching behind the Tesla, and carving a swastika into the vehicle before casually heading into the gym to work out, seemingly unaffected by his actions. Authorities could identify the suspect through his gym membership card and Pennsylvania driver’s license photo.
The man was charged with several misdemeanor counts of criminal mischief and harassment, as well as two counts of harassment and disorderly conduct. His bail was set at $25,000.
This was not the first incident that involved individuals carving swastikas into the side of Teslas.
Two men were also caught on camera etching a swastika and the word “Nazis” on the side of a Tesla Cybertruck in Brooklyn, New York. The New York Police Department stated that they are investigating the vandalism as a hate crime.
Earlier this month, another man was seen carving a swastika into a parked Tesla in Brooklyn, which belonged to a Jewish man.
“I think a great wrong is being done to the people of Tesla and to our customers,” Musk said when asked about the vandalism. “I mean, Tesla’s a peaceful company that has made great cars, great products — that’s all it’s done. It hasn’t harmed anyone, and yet people are committing violence.”
This comes after the Trump administration reaffirmed its commitment to holding vandals accountable for their actions, emphasizing that law enforcement maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward hate crimes. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced last week that she had charged three individuals who used Molotov cocktails to set a Tesla dealership and its vehicles on fire.
