Meet the 50 year old London dad leading the charge against Elon Musk's Tesla empire – John Gorenfeld, a transplanted Californian and self-proclaimed warrior for a "free America".

Disgruntled with the antics of tech mogul Musk, John has spearheaded the UK branch of Tesla Takedown, gathering every Saturday with fellow activists at showrooms to voice their displeasure.

Armed with signs proclaiming 'honk if you hate Elon', the group aims to open the public's eyes to what they see as Musk's malpractices.

Initially a pair, John and activist partner Theodora Sutcliffe, have seen their numbers swell to as many as 25 comrades-in-arms.

Working as a freelance software engineer in Morden, south London, John declares: "I saw people protesting in the States and I wanted to be a part of that."

He relays the support they've received during protests, saying, "There were so many people driving by and honking so it was amazing. People were going by giving us thumbs up and it was just a great feeling."

John also recounts the physical struggles of activism, noting the chill gets to him sometimes, but his spirits remain high: "It gets very windy and my hands went a little bit numb, but the time passes quite quickly."

His conviction is resolute: "I think it really gives people hope to know that there are others who feel the same way. We would be bad people if we didn't do something about this kind of evil."

Reflecting on the impact of his actions on his family, he says: "In the morning leaving for a protest it makes me feel really proud to have my child see that I am going off to make the world a better place."

John, a fervent protester against Elon Musk's business practices, was initially spurred into action by the cuts to United States Agency for International Development (USAID) grants in Africa. However, it was Musk's controversial gesture on stage, which Musk denies was a Nazi salute, that became a pivotal moment for John's group.

Now committed to using only public transport, John is adamant that his protests will not cease until Tesla is obliterated. He expressed his motivation, saying, "I started to watch the headlines after the Trump inauguration with a sense of helplessness. I was restless to find out when the next march or mass protest was going to start."

Determined to see Tesla's downfall, he declared, "We will keep standing there until the end. It is going to get bigger every time.

"We will only stop when there has been a crushing defeat for Tesla. Once stocks reach zero we will move on to the next fight for good."

Longing for a return to what he considers a freer America, John added, "I hope to someday go back to a free America again. It could be so great, but we have let it be taken over by the worst people."

The anti-Tesla movement is gaining momentum in the UK, with upcoming protests scheduled in Manchester and Leeds. Despite their growing presence, the co-founders have distanced themselves from any violent or destructive tactics used by others.

Through peaceful demonstrations, John believes they have already enacted significant change and continues to urge Tesla owners to sell their vehicles as part of the protest.

He stated: "We have already seen staggering drops in Tesla's stock price. It seems that this is one of the most effective movements I have ever seen.

"It has been pretty astonishing that we can directly take money out of something so transparently hateful.

"My own parents owned a Tesla until recently. Our message is definitely not to demonise Tesla owners. Most of them bought their vehicle in good faith.

"But those who buy Teslas are now supporting the Trump movement. They should sell the cars and dump Tesla stock."

Theodora, the co-founder, added: "I hadn't been to a protest since the Gulf War marches in 2003. But when I first saw the flyer for the Tesla Takedown weekend on 15 February, I knew I had to be a part of this.

"It clicked that, rather than sitting doom scrolling, here was a battle ordinary people could win."