Hundreds of people gathered at Tesla’s factory in Grünheide, near Berlin to protest its planned expansion. This news was reported by Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg, a German public broadcaster.
Why are people protesting?
The protesters are responding to a local vote where residents opposed the expansion due to concerns about the use of the area’s groundwater.
Why does Tesla want to expand the factory?
Tesla aims to increase production at its facility. The situation intensified when protesters set up a new camp in the forest near the factory.
What else happened?
According to Journalism for the energy transition Tesla stopped its factory production for a day following a holiday. However a Tesla spokesperson clarified that this stoppage was scheduled months ago and was not due to the protests.
The police have described the protests as peaceful. They had concerns about potential violence after an incident in March where someone damaged the power grid, disrupting factory operations.
Additionally a small group demonstrated outside the government building in Brandenburg’s capital, Potsdam.
What do the protesters want?
The protesters are calling for improvements in public transportation policies and not just policies that benefit electric car manufacturers. They view Tesla as a symbol of what they call automotive capitalism with a green veil.
About Tesla’s factory
Tesla’s Grünheide gigafactory which opened in 2022 is the company’s first European factory. Local and national leaders have praised it for boosting the region’s economy and advancing the production of electric vehicles in Germany. However the factory has faced criticism from local residents over its high water use and the clearing of several hectares of forest. Furthermore, due to a drop in electric vehicle sales Tesla has announced a reduction in its global workforce affecting hundreds of jobs at the Grünheide factory.
