Forest protest camp by Tesla plant outside Berlin can remain, for now
An environmental activist camp in the woods near electric carmaker Tesla's plant outside Berlin will be allowed to remain for the time being, officials announced on Friday.
The activists set up camp in the woods, which are state property, to protest Tesla's plans to expand the plant and clear the forest. Tesla's expansion plans have also prompted environmental concerns about potential risks for sensitive nearby wetlands.
The camp's protest authorization was set to expire on Saturday, raising the prospect of police action to clear the forest. But the interior minister for the German state of Brandenburg, which owns the forest, announced that permission would be extended through Thursday.
The activists, however, will be required to take down tree houses that they built in the woods by Monday, according to the minister, Michael Stübgen of the centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU). He cited safety concerns.
If the activists do not remove the structures, the police have some legal authority to break up the gathering. The protestors have so far not said if they will comply with the demand to dismantle the tree houses.
The activists had registered the camp as a political gathering, which is protected by German law and does not require special police permission.
Such gatherings, however, can be prohibited under certain circumstances. Stübgen said authorities would also need to consider whether a long-term occupation of the woods by activists would pose issues for the natural area and wildlife.
