Protesters numbering about 800 people camped outside Tesla’s Gigafactory in Grueneheide, Germany, on Friday, seeking to stop the expansion project and its abhorrent environmental impact.
And Elon Musk is not happy about it as Tesla’s nightmare continues.
The expansion, which has been a controversial issue, drew criticism from Uli Becker, spokesman for the group organizing the protest, Disrupt.
“The battle against this auto manufacturer is a battle against every auto manufacturer,” Baker said in a press release posted on the coalition’s website.
A press release from Disrupt also accused the Gigafactory of being established illegally, and said its expansion would harm nearby forests.
With more than 60% of local residents voting against the 50-hectare expansion in a recent poll, according to Bloomberg News. Wired.
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A group of protesters have been camping in the forest ever since.
The environmental losses caused by lithium mining, which is necessary for the production of electric car batteries, was another focal point of the protest. According to Reuters, the demonstrators aim to draw attention to the environmental damage caused by lithium extraction, which leads to the release of toxic chemicals and heavy metals into the air, water and soil globally.
The day of protest witnessed a large turnout from all over Germany
A video shared online showed chaotic scenes as protesters clashed with law enforcement as they tried to approach the plant.
Musk responded to the footage, confirming that the facility’s security perimeter remained intact.
He added: “The demonstrators were unable to penetrate the fence. There are still two intact lines of fence everywhere.”
“Note that this is ‘National Protest Week’ in Germany, so there are a lot of protests for many different reasons.”
Musk seemed puzzled by the environmentalists’ decision to target Tesla.
He expressed his bewilderment, saying: “Something very strange is happening, as Tesla was the only car company that was attacked.”
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Musk has publicly criticized police leniency, asking: “Why are the police letting left-wing protesters out so easily?”
Baker told CNN that he endured a lot of torture at the hands of police during the protest, and a video posted on X shows police firing pepper spray at fleeing protesters. Dozens of demonstrators were arrested to ensure the unrest stopped. Police estimated the number of wounded at hundreds during the demonstration.
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