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Activists say they have “tricked” Elon Musk into helping to raise thousands of pounds for causes he hates, in a new online campaign.
The People vs Elon campaign, launched on Sunday morning, collects micro-donations for UK organisations campaigning for immigrants, anti-racism, and LGBTQ+ rights, every time Elon Musk tweets.
Each time Donald Trump’s efficiency tsar Musk posts on X, people who have pledged to donate give money to progressive causes.
It comes days after the world’s richest man performed what was widely recognised as a Nazi salute at Donald Trump’s inauguration.
With Musk’s posting frequency doubling to 4,000 tweets last month, the new People vs Elon campaign is projected to raise over £14,000 this year, from pledges as small as 1p per tweet.
“Elon Musk has used Twitter to amplify hate. Well, we’re turning every tweet into a weapon against the far right,” said a People vs Elon spokesperson. “Every time he tweets far-right talking points, he will trigger hundreds of small donations to groups fighting for a just and welcoming UK.”
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The funds raised are being donated evenly between organisations such as Everyday Racism, Hope not Hate, Women for Refugee Women, People vs Profiteers, and Rainbow Migration – a non-profit which provides support for LGBTQI+ people seeking asylum.
Musk has been increasingly tweeting to his 200m+ followers on X about politics in Britain and Europe, including calls to “free Tommy Robinson” and, just days before his salute, tweeting “Make Europe Great Again”.
Naomi Evans of the UK anti-racism platform Everyday Racism said: “As teachers we see first hand the impact of the far right rhetoric on social media and dangerous commentary from the likes of Elon Musk. We are working every day to counter it.
“People vs Elon is an antidote to his lies – thousands of microdonations that will help groups like ours to counter hate.”
Carenza Arnold, Women for Refugee Women, added: “Elon Musk demonises refugees and amplifies misogynists like Andrew Tate. But polling shows the majority of the British public don’t like Elon Musk and h