After the attack on Tesla’s power supply in Grünheide, the protest by environmental activists against the electric car manufacturer’s expansion plans continues. The “Turn off the tap from Tesla” alliance was expecting several hundred people to attend a demonstration in the afternoon (2 p.m.) in the community southeast of Berlin. There will also be another rally (2 p.m.) by residents who want to show their solidarity with Tesla and see the settlement as an opportunity for the future development of the community. The police accompany the meetings.
Since last week, environmental activists have been protesting in a tree house camp in Grünheide against the planned expansion of the Tesla site and the deforestation. According to its own information, the “Stop Tesla” initiative always expects the protest camp to be evacuated. The police said on Sunday that they were keeping a close eye on gatherings in the forest. The camp will continue to be tolerated until mid-March.
The “Turn off the tap from Tesla” alliance is calling on politicians to implement the citizens’ vote against the Tesla expansion plans and prevent the expansion. When surveyed, a majority of residents rejected the plans. The protest demonstration should lead to the town hall in Grünheide.
Residents stand alongside Tesla at the rally
At one point the elevator will meet the second rally, at which residents want to show their support for Tesla. “We welcome the presence and strive for close cooperation to achieve common goals. An attack on Tesla is an attack on us,” said the organizers. “The recent attacks represent a threat to our values and our cohesion and our community.”
The spokeswoman for the protest alliance “Turn off Tesla,” Lou Winters, said of the attack on the Tesla power supply that the “Volcano Group” was not part of the alliance. The left-wing extremist “Vulkan Group” had declared that it was responsible for the attack. “We have other, creative forms of protest and want to get in touch with local citizens,” said Winters. The citizens’ initiative Grünheide, Robin Wood, Extinction Rebellion and Sand im Gear are members of the “Turn off the tap from Tesla” alliance.
Network operator reports construction progress on electricity pylon repairs
Due to a power outage following a belt attack, production at Tesla in Grünheide has been at a standstill since Tuesday. Perpetrators who had not yet been identified had set fire to an electricity pylon in a field that is also responsible for supplying the car factory. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office, as the highest prosecution authority, took over the investigation.
Repairs to the power pole are ongoing. The network operator Edis says it is making progress with the construction work. The company has not yet said when the power supply for Tesla and an Edeka logistics center will work again.
Tesla expects production in Grünheide to remain interrupted until the end of next week. On Friday evening, employees gathered in front of the dark Tesla factory as a sign of solidarity and let their cell phone lights shine. The attack also sparked a debate about better protection for energy networks in Germany.
Web link to the demonstration call
