Police Block Hundreds of Protesters Attempting to Storm Tesla Factory in Germany
On Friday, hundreds of protesters were blocked by police as they attempted to storm the Tesla factory near Berlin, Germany. The factory, located in Grunheide, is Tesla’s only production base in Europe and has been the target of ongoing protests since February.
The crowds of demonstrators, carrying banners and signs, gathered near the factory to voice their concerns about the plant’s water consumption and the planned expansion that would require the felling of trees. The protesters advocated for public transport over private cars and expressed their opposition to the factory’s impact on the environment.
According to German news service dpa, several people were temporarily detained during the protest and dramatic pictures showed individuals being arrested by officers. The group responsible for organizing the protest, “Disrupt”, estimated that as many as 800 people were in attendance.
“Companies like Tesla are happy to destroy habitats for their own profit,” said Ole Becker, a spokesman for Disrupt Tesla. “Instead of SUVs for the few, we must build buses and trains for the many.”
This protest comes after an alleged arson attack in March, claimed by a far-left group, caused a power outage at the Tesla factory and halted production for a week. The factory, which opened in 2022, has faced criticism and opposition from activists who believe the company’s production of electric vehicles is not enough to combat climate change.
During Friday’s protest march, police spokesman Mario Heinemann stated on ntv television that “hundreds of participants ran into the forest and tried to get onto the Tesla site. We prevented that with our forces.” Demonstrators also blocked a nearby highway and railway line, and set off fireworks at an airfield where Tesla stores new cars.
In response to the ongoing protests, Tesla CEO Elon Musk referred to the culprits of the arson attack as “the dumbest eco-terrorists on Earth” and criticized anti-Tesla protesters for targeting electric vehicles instead of fossil fuel-powered ones.
As tensions continue to rise between environmental activists and Tesla, the company remains focused on expanding its production and presence in Europe. However, it remains to be seen how these protests will impact the future plans for the Grunheide factory.
