by Matt Agorist, The Free Thought Project:

Elon Musk is no stranger to publicly stating how he feels and those who’ve been following him recently, know he has been particularly outspoken in his resistance to the COVID-19 lockdowns across the country. His resistance came to a head on Monday when he essentially dared cops to arrest him for reopening his factory in Alameda County.

Alameda County has a population of 1.6 million people, many of whom have been denying stay at home orders, going to the beach and other places. Most of those 1.6 million people have also been shopping in grocery stores and exposing themselves to others for months during the lockdown. However, out of this 1.6 million, there have been only 2,100 confirmed cases of COVID-19. In the entire state of California, hospital bed occupancy is at less than 10% capacity. If we look at the numbers alone, officials are losing the case for maintaining a total lockdown.

Nevertheless, businesses deemed non-essential remain closed, which includes the Tesla factory. On Monday, however, that all came to a halt when Musk tweeted, “Tesla is restarting production today against Alameda County rules. I will be on the line with everyone else. If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me.”

Tesla is restarting production today against Alameda County rules. I will be on the line with everyone else. If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 11, 2020

Despite the claims of reopening, the billionaire entrepreneur was not arrested.

Alameda County and Elon Musk have been at odds over the closure of the Tesla factory for weeks. According to CNN Business, Musk has argued that restrictions put in place by Alameda County closing non-essential businesses, where Tesla’s Fremont factory is based, are overly aggressive and unconstitutional. On Saturday, the company filed a federal lawsuit against the county. Musk has also threatened to relocate Tesla’s manufacturing out of California.

According to Musk, the state of California had approved the dealership as an essential business but he says “an unelected county official illegally overrode” that decision. When asked about this decision on Monday, Gov. Gavin Newson deferred all questions to the county, refusing to answer for himself.

“Again, it’s county-led enforcement,” he said. Still, Newsom said he had “great reverence” for Tesla and its founder and said he had spoken to Musk “a number of days ago.”

In response, Musk tweeted: “Thank you Governor Newsom!”

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