Tesla (TSLA 4.96%) CEO Elon Musk has tweeted that the electric car company is restarting production today, Monday, May 11, acknowledging the move is in violation of Alameda County regulations.
"Tesla is restarting production today against Alameda County rules," Musk tweeted Monday afternoon. "I will be on the line with everyone else. If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me."
Earlier in the day, news outlets had reported on a stream of vehicles heading to Tesla's Fremont factory in Alameda County. Musk's tweet seemed to confirm that employees had already returned to work.
Image source: Tesla.
Ratcheting up the tension
It's unclear how state or county officials will respond to Musk's actions or statements. The CEO has been champing at the bit to restart operations at Tesla's Fremont plant, but has still not been cleared to do so.
Late Thursday, Musk sent an email to Tesla employees, announcing plans to restart limited operations at the Bay Area plant on Friday, May 8. However, Alameda County officials told him the company wasn't yet cleared to do so, prompting Musk to tweet Saturday that "Tesla is filing a lawsuit against Alameda County immediately." Later that day, the company filed suit in U.S. District Court, alleging 14th Amendment violations.
Musk has also threatened to move Tesla headquarters to Texas or Nevada over the altercation. His brother Kimbal Musk tweeted critically about California's response to the coronavirus on Monday afternoon as well.
