Protesters may extend action against Tesla's Germany plant

DPA
·2 min read
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Activists from "Stop Tesla" initiative have built tree houses in a forest near the Tesla Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg plant. According to the police, more than 1,000 activists marched from Fangschleuse station to the Tesla factory. Patrick Pleul/dpa
Activists from "Stop Tesla" initiative have built tree houses in a forest near the Tesla Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg plant. According to the police, more than 1,000 activists marched from Fangschleuse station to the Tesla factory. Patrick Pleul/dpa

Further protest action against the Tesla's expansion of its giant electric car factory near Berlin is possible in the coming days despite the end of recent demonstrations, several activist groups warned on Sunday.

The alliance Tesla den Hahn abdrehen ("Cut off Tesla's water" - in reference to the company's huge water usage) said it will attend Thursday's local council meeting in Grünheide on the growth plans for the US company's Gigafactory.

If the council votes in favour of significantly expanding the site, contrary to a public consultation, the allied protest group Disrupt Tesla "will be back," their spokeswoman Lucia Mende said.

On Saturday, more than 1,000 environmental activists staged a march against the factory, following clashes and arrests the previous day.

A supporting forest camp was to be dismantled on Sunday as agreed, but a protest at a nearby railway station will continue, said Caro Weber, a spokeswoman for a third group called Stop Tesla. The groups said they would keep their options open for further actions.

Around 12,000 people work at the plant in Grünheide, which is partly located in a water protection area and has been the focus of environmental protests since February.

The latest demonstrations against the site's expansion began on Wednesday and were set to end on Sunday.

Following the public consultation in Grünheide, in which a majority voted against the expansion, the municipality and Tesla signalled that a smaller forest area would be cleared.

Activists from "Stop Tesla" initiative have built tree houses in a forest near the Tesla Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg plant. According to the police, more than 1,000 activists marched from Fangschleuse station to the Tesla factory. Patrick Pleul/dpa
Activists from "Stop Tesla" initiative have built tree houses in a forest near the Tesla Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg plant. According to the police, more than 1,000 activists marched from Fangschleuse station to the Tesla factory. Patrick Pleul/dpa
An activist from the "Stop Tesla" initiative sits in a forest near the Tesla Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg plant on a bench with the inscription "We are Friedrich! Who are you?". According to the police, more than 1,000 activists marched from Fangschleuse station to the Tesla factory. Patrick Pleul/dpa
An activist from the "Stop Tesla" initiative sits in a forest near the Tesla Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg plant on a bench with the inscription "We are Friedrich! Who are you?". According to the police, more than 1,000 activists marched from Fangschleuse station to the Tesla factory. Patrick Pleul/dpa