Tesla has become the focus of a growing protest movement in the UK, with one of the most eye-catching demonstrations taking place on a beach in North Wales. A protester, known as Prama, carved the message “Don’t buy Tesla” into the sand, alongside an image of Elon Musk giving a now-infamous salute. Using a rake attached to the back of her Tesla Model 3, Prama staged the protest in response to Musk’s increasing association with far-right politics, explaining that this has led her to sell her Tesla after six years of ownership.
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Prama’s demonstration, organised by the British political campaign group Led By Donkeys, is part of a broader movement of anti-Tesla protests, driven by disillusionment with Musk’s political affiliations. Campaigners argue that Musk’s embrace of far-right ideologies and his close ties with Donald Trump have alienated former supporters. The Tesla Takedown UK group, led by software engineer John Gorenfeld, has been organising protests outside Tesla showrooms in London, with plans to expand demonstrations across the country. Gorenfeld’s goal is to “sink Tesla stock” and challenge the company’s environmental credentials, highlighting Tesla’s significant carbon footprint.
The protests are not limited to the UK. In Germany, France, and the US, there have been reports of vandalism, including Tesla cars being set alight and charging stations destroyed. However, Gorenfeld stresses that his group’s protests are non-violent, in contrast to some of the more destructive actions seen abroad. He believes that peaceful demonstrations are more effective, appealing to a wider audience, and aims to push for regulatory changes that limit the influence of individuals like Musk on British politics.
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Despite the protests, Tesla’s UK sales remain strong, rising by 21% in February, in contrast to a sharp decline in Europe. Some attribute this to a rush to purchase electric vehicles ahead of the introduction of the UK’s new expensive car supplement tax. However, Gorenfeld predicts that once this temporary boost subsides, Tesla sales in Britain will fall in line with the European trend. Public opinion on Musk is also turning, with recent polls showing that a significant majority of Britons hold an unfavourable view of the Tesla and SpaceX CEO.
