Protesters against Tesla plant hold out in trees as German police clear camp

  • CNN
  • November 19, 2024
Protesters opposed to Tesla's expansion of its plant near Berlin were holding out in trees Tuesday as German police sought to clear their forested camp.

In May, the protesters clashed with police as some attempted to storm the facility, the US carmaker's only European gigafactory, which employs some 12,000 staff.

Police said in a statement Tuesday that criminal offenses and violations of assembly regulations, including resisting a police operation, had meant that the security of the Tesla (TSLA) site could no longer be guaranteed.

Led by the Disrupt Tesla group, protesters argue that plans to double the factory's size will damage the environment.

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk speaks at a rally for former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York, October 27, 2024.

Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty Images

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Tesla did not reply to a request for comment from Reuters.

Although some protesters had left of their own accord after police announced the clearance Tuesday, the police said "there are currently still people in trees and rope structures" and the effort to clear the camp was therefore ongoing.

Disrupt Tesla had called in a post on social media platform X Monday for mass protests against "the destruction by Tesla and Elon Musk to protect forests and water."

It has not commented on the site's clearance by police Tuesday and its website is not accessible.

Protesters have, in the past, also disrupted the surrounding area by blocking a nearby motorway and interrupting the rail service by sitting on the tracks.