On February 15, activists from Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) protested outside a Neuralink lab in Fremont to protest the company’s cruel experiments on animals. Owned by Elon Musk and headquartered in Fremont, the company has subjected primates and pigs to invasive brain chip implants. Employees have spoken out saying the procedures are rushed and cause needless suffering and deaths. Neuralink has killed more than 1500 animals.

Protesters displayed a giant Elon Musk head with a speech bubble reading "I Torture Monkeys" and a banner reading "Stop Elon's Monkey Business." Some activists dressed as monkeys inside cages, and others held signs reading "Primates are not prototypes." Several Bay Area residents, including a former animal experimenter, gave speeches condemning the cruelty and ineffectiveness of animal testing. Scientific studies have shown that primates share profound cognitive and emotional abilities with humans. Protesters urged Musk's company to forego these experiments that come at the cost of primates' lives.

"Elon Musk’s actions are a profound example of the link between animal and human cruelty," said DxE organizer Carla Cabral. "While animals such as monkeys and pigs are being tortured and killed for Musk’s financial gain, he’s actively spewing hate toward trans people, immigrant communities, and other marginalized groups. And the federal government has shown no willingness to hold Musk accountable, including for Neuralink’s violence against animals. This leaves it to the public to put pressure on Neuralink to end the cruel and unnecessary violence toward animals."

Animal Rights Activists Protest Elon Musk's Neuralink | “Elon’s Monkey Business” Charged with Cruelty | Activists Protest at Elon Musk's Neuralink, Call for End to Animal Experiments | Elon's Monkey Business - Primates Are Not Prototypes