Protesters opposed to Tesla’s expansion of its plant near Berlin were holding out in trees Tuesday as German police climbed up ladders and cut down rope structures in an attempt 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.
“There are still people in the trees here who are resisting,” said Mila, a spokesperson for the protest camp.
“The situation is of course dangerous, slippery in terms of safety, it’s raining and it’s freezing cold all day. But we will continue our protest.”
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 forests and water.
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.
