Written by Cláudio Afonso | [email protected] | LinkedIn | X
Hundreds of activists are converging at the Tesla factory GigaBerlin in Grünheide on Friday, with some attempting to breach the factory premises. As of the time of writing, the German police have made several arrests in their efforts to prevent unauthorized entry.
Tesla ceased production at the factory from Thursday to Sunday. Since Thursday was a national holiday in the country, the halt will only affect today.
Videos of the protest are now being shared on social media platforms showing hundreds of protestants avoiding the police.
Activists also attempted to block the former airfield in Neuhardenberg on Friday, where Tesla cars are temporarily parked, adding to the tensions surrounding the company’s operations. The police reported the ignition of pyrotechnics, intensifying concerns over the security situation.
Multiple arrests have been made, with a significant police presence both in front of the factory and in the area of Grünheide. Police have deployed water cannons within the factory premises.
Despite their attempts, activists have so far been unsuccessful in gaining access to the Tesla factory, according to a police spokesperson.
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Some demonstrators diverted from the march behind Fangschleuse train station, disappearing into nearby forests, local media rbb reported. Others have blocked access roads leading to the Tesla factory. The remainder of the protesters have gathered for a vigil outside the factory.
The police has closed exit Freienbrink — the closest autobahn exit to the factory— and surrounding roads near the plant. Additionally, the railway line between Berlin and Frankfurt (Oder) at Fangschleuse station has also been closed due to activists occupying the tracks, according to police reports.
Tesla plans to expand Giga Berlin’s premises by 170 hectares, doubling the facility’s production capacity to 1 million units a year. Despite this ambition, residents of the German town of Grünheide voted against the expansion in a survey earlier this year.
Tesla Giga Berlin is already a prominent feature in Grünheide, a town of 9,000 people near Berlin, Germany and has a current annual production capacity of 500,000 units.
Written by Cláudio Afonso | [email protected] | LinkedIn | X
