DV Journal

Upscale Doylestown Borough is not a place where you’d expect an adult man to vandalize a Tesla by keying a swastika into the side of the EV.

The pricey vehicle was vandalized on Monday in the Planet Fitness club parking lot, and the owner filed a police report Tuesday morning, said Central Bucks Police Sgt. Wayne Jones.

The incident is “under investigation,” said Jones. Police had not charged anyone as of late Tuesday afternoon.

There are also reports that a Tesla was damaged in the Newtown Shopping Center parking lot on Sunday by four juveniles.

Ed Sheppard, communications chairman of the Doylestown Republican Committee, was quick to link the local incident to a wave of vandalism and violence directed toward Tesla owners across the U.S. The attacks are inspired by animosity toward Tesla founder Elon Musk and his relationship with President Donald Trump.

The FBI reports that since January, incidents targeting Tesla electric vehicles, dealerships, storage lots, and charging stations have occurred in at least nine states. Press reports recount Molotov cocktail attacks in Colorado, Oregon, and South Carolina; gunfire in Oregon and Las Vegas; and arson in Massachusetts, Seattle, and Kansas City.

Sheppard accused local Democrats, who control local government, of being silent rather than condemning the incident.

“There’s been a deafening silence from our leaders,” said Sheppard.

“Condemning political violence, intimidation, violence, destruction and swastikas should be a no brainer. The silence of elected Democrats in the borough and township over this act speaks volumes,” said Sheppard. “It should worry every resident of Doylestown that the Doylestown Democrats have become so extreme that this kind of behavior and mentality now has a home here.”

DV Journal requested a comment from the Doylestown Democrats but has yet to receive a response.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi recently announced federal charges filed against three people who were arrested for violent acts against Tesla property, including one who threw Molotov cocktails at a dealership in Oregon; another trying to light Tesla vehicles on fire in Colorado; and a third person who wrote profane messages against Trump around Tesla charging stations before lighting them on fire.

The defendants might face five to 20 years in prison if convicted, according to a press release.

Sheppard noted Doylestown is a progressive community where “Hate Has No Home” signs are commonly found in front yards.

“Doylestown Democrats have become so extreme that this kind of behavior and mentality now has a home here.”

Sometimes, a bad action brings about a good one.

Someone painted anti-Israel graffiti on Doylestown borough sidewalks Sunday, including two messages in front of Siren Records, a Jewish-owned store.

“Instantly, I was very sad,” said Heidi K., manager of the music shop. “Then I was a little confused. It was so misplaced. And I was trying to figure out who could have done it and why they did it there.  I was worried that they did it because this was a Jewish-owned and Jewish-run business.

“But later, it was brought to my attention there were other pieces of graffiti matching that in other places around the vicinity of the store, as well,” she said.

She called the police, and they took a report, she said. The shop had been a target of antisemitic vandalism twice before in recent months, she said.

When the phone rang, she was looking into how to clean paint off of concrete.

Joshua Roberts, a Holland chiropractor, offered to come over and clean it off.

“The whole thing started with my wife [Jennifer],” said Roberts. “She sent me a picture on Facebook about the vandalism.”

He decided to help and called the store.

“Heidi picked up the phone,” said Roberts. “She was very upset and told me that this had happened before. She sounded just heartbroken.”

“I’m a business owner myself,” said Roberts. He knew someone who had a power washer that he could borrow.

“I said, ‘Listen, I got a buddy who’s got a power washer. I’ll be over, and I’ll take care of it for you.’”

So, Roberts jumped into action and, with his oldest daughter, Sydney, 22, to help, brought the power washer to the record shop to clean off the graffiti.

“It was not that big of a deal,” he said, downplaying his act of kindness.

But all the time, he was thinking of his late mother, Judith Roberts. It’s been two years since she passed away.

“She was a big proponent of Israel,” said Roberts. “And I thought this would be a good, it’s called a ‘mitzvah.’ It’s a good mitzvah for my mom and myself, my daughter, and whoever else. But it’s no big deal.”

But it was a big deal for Heidi K.

“About a half hour later, he came over with his lovely daughter,” she said. “And he was wearing his Israel Defense Forces T-shirt. And we got everything hooked up. I poured some Simple Green slime over the two spots, and we got to work.”

When Heidi put up a picture of Josh Roberts helping clean off the graffiti on her Instagram account, someone commented, “Free Palestine.”

“A young girl,” said Heidi. “The girlfriend of somebody we know through kids, like six degrees of separation.”

“I love art,” she said. “I like graffiti art. But this is not right. It’s not the right place. And perhaps these young people feel this is a safe place to express their views. But even if you like the politics of it, this is costing us money. And it’s causing a stir in the community. And it’s making people question where Siren Records, as a business, stands. And it’s making people think we’re taking a stand. If they think that it was sanctioned by us, that’s not what we do.”

“We wouldn’t deface our own sidewalks,” said Heidi. “So, it’s certainly not appreciated.”

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