Climate protesters try to break into Tesla factory in Germany: Police

Climate protesters angered by Tesla’s plans to expand its Berlin-Brandenburg gigafactory in Germany tried to break into the plant on Friday, according to a statement from local police.

“Multiple unauthorized people are trying to enter the Tesla factory,” Brandenburg police said via X Friday. “We are in the process of preventing that.”

“The situation is dynamic,” a Brandenburg police spokesman told CNBC on Friday, adding that there were multiple blockades in the area due to the demonstrations.

A Tesla spokesperson was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC.

An encampment near Tesla’s grounds at its Brandenburg plant has been set up since Monday, with participation increasing from Wednesday and peaking on Thursday’s German holiday, police said.

Protest gatherings were planned for Friday, one stationary near the Tesla factory grounds and another involving a march from the camp, a Brandenburg police spokesman told CNBC.

However, disruptions followed, including attempts to break into Tesla’s premises and sit-in roadblocks, leading to roadblocks, the spokesman said.

Protesters also occupied the nearby airport in the municipality of Neuhardenberg, setting off pyrotechnics and blocking access roads, according to police.

The police intervened, leading to numerous arrests and cases of force. The police operation involves support from neighboring countries and national forces, the spokesman added.

CNN reported Wednesday that Tesla asked its workers to stay home instead of coming to the factory on Friday because of concerns about protests surrounding its Brandenburg plant.

Andre Thirig, senior production director at the Tesla factory, confirmed by X on Tuesday that the electric car maker is shutting down production on Friday in a “one-day planned production shutdown.”

Tesla is pursuing a major expansion of its battery and car assembly plant in Brandenburg, Germany, about 52 miles south of Berlin.

Tesla’s planned expansion includes projects for a rail freight depot and warehouse facilities that could help it avoid dependence on other logistics providers and avoid production pauses due to parts shortages.

Local residents in February voted against allowing the expansion of the factory. However, the vote was non-binding and Tesla and local authorities still intend to proceed.

Climate protesters have raised concerns about Tesla’s plans, which include clearing roughly 250 acres of forest in a rural community of fewer than 8,000 residents near a conservation area.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk previously lashed out at protesters targeting Tesla’s German Gigafactory, telling X in March they are “either the dumbest eco-terrorists on Earth or the puppets of those who have no good environmental goals.”

— CNBC’s Laura Kolodny contributed to this report