Germany: Violent Clashes Between Protesters and Police at Tesla Plant

Tensions are rising around Tesla’s plant in Grünheide, near Berlin, where violent clashes broke out Friday, May 10, between police and more than 1500 environmental activists who have long protested the plant’s expansion. Protesters have said they will continue to attack the plant until May 12 and are now trying to break down the gates to enter the plant. A group of radicals infiltrated the grounds of nearby Neuhardenberg Airport, where cars awaiting shipment are stored, and defaced dozens of cars with indelible paint. Police have intervened and arrested many activists who are challenging the construction of what Tesla owner Elon Musk has called “a gigafactory.”

Tesla’s new plant, which will initially produce 150,000 electric cars per year (Tesla models 3 and Y), will need to grow production to 500,000 cars per year when it reaches full capacity, creating more than 8000 new jobs in Germany. However, the ambitious project, which involves cutting down more than 200 hectares of forest, is drawing sharp protests from Grünheide residents, as well as green and radical movements, who set fire to a local power plant, forcing Tesla to halt production chains for four days.

Germany’s exports of electric vehicles increased by 58 percent in 2023 compared to the previous year’s results. As reported by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), 786,000 cars driven exclusively by electric motors were exported in 2023, worth 36 billion euros. The Netherlands was the top three importers of German electric cars, followed by Britain and Belgium.

But overall, the German economy continues its path, with Germany’s manufacturing sector contracting 0.4 percent in March 2024 compared to February. As for the first quarter of this year, the manufacturing industry actually recorded a 1% decline compared to the same period of last year.