Protesters clashed with police outside the Tesla factory
Dozens of demonstrators clashed with police as they attempted to storm a Tesla factory in Germany.
About 800 protesters clashed with police on Friday in Germany as they tried to storm a Tesla factory in a wooded area.
The protest was part of an attempt to stop a planned expansion of the factory in Gruenheide, near Berlin, which they say could cause environmental problems, the organizing group Disrupt Tesla said in a statement. statement On its website.
“Here, activists are highlighting the Tesla Group as responsible for luring groundwater, stealing resources and endangering people globally,” Disrupt Tesla spokesperson Uli Becker said in the statement.
A video clip shows dozens of demonstrators wearing blue hats and face masks trying to storm Tesla headquarters, while police officers use force to stop them. Medical staff were seen helping the injured at the site.
He asked, “Why do the police allow the leftist demonstrators to leave so easily?” Tesla CEO Elon Musk wrote on his social media platform X (formerly Twitter) while responding to a post that speculated that protesters were conspiring under the banner of Antifa.
Numerous arrests were made, and few injuries were reported
Police said that all attempts to enter the factory were prevented and several people were detained Reuters.
Baker said the group also plans to highlight the environmental devastation caused by lithium mining in other countries such as Argentina and Bolivia, Reuters reported. The metal is often used to power electric car batteries.
Brandenburg police spokesman Mario Heinemann told Reuters: “We protect freedom of assembly, but we are also responsible for public order and safety. This means that we will also intervene when necessary.”
USA TODAY has reached out to Tesla for comment on the incident.