After the attack on the power supply at the car manufacturer Tesla in Grünheide near Berlin, production at the plant should start earlier than last announced, according to Brandenburg’s Economics Minister Jörg Steinbach (SPD). “Today it looks like it won’t take until the end of the week, but that the power supply can be restored sooner,” said Steinbach on RBB Inforadio. Previously it was said that production would not start again until the end of this week.
The RBB now reported, citing the electricity network operator Edis, that production could start again on Monday evening. Steinbach praised the companies involved, who had “worked in three shifts”.
Minister Steinbach: “Demonstration tourism”
At the same time, he criticized demonstrations against a planned expansion of the electric car factory, which took place again at the weekend. “This worries me because it was clearly evident here that there was demonstration tourism,” said the minister. “We’re also experiencing this at the camp, where people from Lower Saxony, from Lützerath, from Hambacher Forst are there. At the moment, this whole thing is being hijacked from outside.” This should not be in the interests of the residents.
False arguments against Tesla continue to be used. “Those who are protesting there at the moment should then tell their fellow human beings very clearly that they want to continue to see increased truck traffic.”
The electric car manufacturer wants to build a freight station, warehouses and a company kindergarten in addition to the existing 300-hectare factory site. To achieve this, more than 100 hectares of forest will be cleared.
Protests against and for Tesla
Environmental activists demonstrated on Sunday in Grünheide against the expansion plans, accompanied by police forces. In addition, the occupation of a forest not far from the factory has been going on for more than ten days. On Monday, Steinbach spoke out in favor of not extending the camp’s toleration beyond the middle of the month.
The Tesla settlement also received support over the weekend: Some residents who support the company also took to the streets. At times there was verbal friction between the two demonstration camps.