Around 800 protesters clashed with police Friday in Germany while trying to break into a Tesla factory in a wooded area.
The protest was part of an effort to stop the planned expansion of the factory in Grueneheide, near Berlin, which they say could cause environmental issues, organizing group Disrupt Tesla said in a statement on its website.
“Here, activists are highlighting the Tesla Group as being responsible for groundwater temptation, theft of resources and the endangerment of people globally,” Disrupt Tesla spokesperson Ole Becker said in the statement.
Video shows dozens of demonstrators wearing blue hats and face-covering masks in an attempt to storm the Tesla premises as policemen use force to stop them. Medical personnel are seen helping injured people at the site.
“Why do the police let the left-wing protestors off so easily?” Tesla CEO Elon Musk wrote on his social media platform X (formerly Twitter) while replying to a post that speculated the protestors conspired under the banner of Antifa.
Several arrests made, few injuries reported
Police said all attempts to enter the factory were prevented and several people were taken into custody, according to Reuters.
Becker said the group also plans to highlight environmental destruction caused by lithium mining in other countries such as Argentina and Bolivia, Reuters reported. The metal is often used to power electric vehicle batteries.
“We protect the freedom of assembly but we are also responsible for public order and safety. That means we will also intervene when necessary,” Brandenburg police spokesperson Mario Heinemann told Reuters.
USA TODAY has reached out to Tesla for comment on the incident.
