Disrupt Tesla, an environmental activists’ group took responsibility for an attempt to storm Tesla’s plant, the so called Gigafactory, in Grunheide, Germany, where approximately 800 people took part in the action.
At the same time, the Gigafactory plant in question suspended its production today, seemingly due to a public holiday, though that’s not clear considering the event that took place.
The Brandenburg Police Department confirmed on its account on X that numerous individuals attempted to breach the Tesla factory premises. However, they contested initial accounts of events suggesting that protesters had successfully infiltrated, asserting that law enforcement “had thus far managed to prevent their entry.”
Tesla CEO Elon Musk and the facility’s senior director, Andre Thierig, echoed these statements, affirming that despite confrontations with authorities, protesters had not breached the site. Musk tweeted that “protesters did not manage to break through the fenceline”
According to German media outlet Die Welt, hundreds of demonstrators gathered near the property. A police spokesperson cited by the outlet reported one injury and multiple arrests.
Videos emerging from the scene depicted clashes between protesters and law enforcement, as well as attempts to approach the facility. Previous protest actions against the proposed expansion, contested by environmental activists, had also targeted the site.
Lucia Mende, a spokesperson for the group Disrupt Tesla, informed WIRED that numerous arrests had taken place. Mende claimed that despite police denials, hundreds of protesters had indeed managed to access the facility.
The expansion of Tesla’s plant is argued to have adverse environmental impacts not only within Germany but also in countries like Argentina or Bolivia, where lithium extraction for EV batteries occurs.
“We are here to draw attention to the Tesla factory in Grunheide,” stated Disrupt Tesla’s spokesperson Ole Becker.
He emphasized the group’s advocacy for free public transportation and a transition away from the predominant focus on automobiles.
On X, Tesla CEO Elon Musk responded to a post regarding the protests, questioning why law enforcement appeared to handle left-wing protesters leniently. However, the specifics of Musk’s comment and whether the arrested individuals had been released were not immediately clarified.
Two months ago the same plant’s operations were shut down for a week following a suspected arson.
In similar news, earlier this week explosive devices were discovered beneath machinery at Northvolt’s electric vehicle battery plant in Montreal, Canada.