On May 10, German police confronted environmental activists at Gigafactory Berlin where protesters angry about Tesla’s plans for a major expansion of the complex tried to break into the plant, according to a statement from local police.
“Multiple unauthorized people are trying to enter the grounds of the Tesla factory,” Brandenburg police said via X Friday. “We are in the process of preventing this.”
“The situation is dynamic,” a Brandenburg police spokesperson said, adding that there had been multiple roadblocks in the area due to the demonstrations.
Since Monday, May 6, a camp had been set up near the Tesla grounds, with participation increasing since Wednesday and peaking on a German bank holiday Thursday, police said.
The protest gatherings were planned for Friday, one stationary near the Tesla factory grounds and another involving a procession from the camp, according to the Brandenburg police.
However, disruptions ensued, including attempts to breach the Tesla premises and sit-in blockades on roads, leading to roadblocks.
Protesters also occupied a nearby airfield in the Neuhardenberg municipality, lighting pyrotechnics and blocking access roads, according to the police.
Police intervened, leading to multiple arrests and instances of force, after bringing in support from neighboring states and national forces.
Tesla had instructed its workers to stay home rather than come into the factory on Friday due to the planned protests in a “one-day planned production shutdown.”
(multiple sources on May 10, 2024)