BERLIN: Hundreds of environmental activists are set to protest the expansion of US electric carmaker Tesla’s factory outside of Berlin on Sunday, reported German news agency (dpa).
Production at the giant factory was halted on Tuesday after a suspected arson attack on the power supply by a left-wing extremist group. Authorities say electricity could still be days away from being restored.
Protest organisers say they have no connection to the power failure, which also affected thousands of local residents.
Sunday’s rally is to demand that leaders in the small town of Grünheide, located in an area known for its forests and lakes, abide by the results of a non-binding referendum held last month.
Residents were asked to participate in a survey on Tesla’s plans to expand the 300-hectare site in Grünheide by adding a freight depot, warehouses and a company kindergarten on an additional 170 hectares.
Some 5,400 people took part in the survey, with 3,499 voting against and 1,882 voting in favour of the expansion.
About 100 hectares of forest would have to be cleared to make room for the additions to the site. Activists, deploying a tactic frequently seen in Germany, have been camping out in tents and tree-houses in the forest.
Environmentalists also worry about the pressure the factory puts on the local water supply and the risk of contamination. Grünheide sits in the state of Brandenburg, one of Germany’s driest regions.
The umbrella group “Tesla den Hahn Abdrehen”, which translates as “Turn off Tesla’s Tap”, said the protest will start at 2 pm (1300 GMT) at the train station near the plant and end at Grünheide’s town hall. - Bernama, dpa
