Police investigate possible arson as Rome fire destroys 17 Teslas

Rome: Italian police are investigating possible arson at a Tesla dealership in Rome overnight that destroyed 17 cars, a security source said on Monday.

Italy's anti-terrorism police unit Digos is leading the investigation and is looking into the possibility that anarchists set fire to the cars on the eastern outskirts of Rome, the source said.

Drone images of the Rome fire showed the burnt-out remains of cars lined up in a parking lot, with two rows of vehicles back-to-back and a third row some distance away.

Tesla cars have become targets for vandalism across several countries, in response to the right-wing activism of company owner Elon Musk.

The tech billionaire, who also owns X, has joined U.S. President Donald Trump's administration and has come out in support of far-right parties in Europe.

The fire brigade said in a statement that the blaze broke out at around 04.30 a.m. (0230 GMT). The dealership was partially damaged, but nobody was injured.