Police try to remove eco-activists from trees near Tesla's Berlin factory
German police started removing tree-sitting protesters who fight Teslaʼs factory expansion plans near Berlin. Environmental group members stay in makeshift tree-houses despite cold weather and police efforts
German law-enforcement started a complex operation to remove eco-activists from their tree-based camp near Teslaʼs Berlin-area factory (which gives jobs to about 12k workers)
The protestors from Disrupt Tesla group built their tree-houses to fight the car-makers plans to make factory twice as-big which they think will harm local eco-system. “The situation is dangerous and super-cold but weʼll keep going with our protest“ says Mila a protest-camp speaker; while police tried to get up using tall ladders and cut down rope-made structures
The situation is of course dangerous slippery in terms of safety‚ its raining and its freezing cold all day. But we will continue our protest
Police stated that law-breaking and assembly rule problems made it hard to keep the plant safe - some activists left after getting warned but many stayed up in trees. Earlier this year similar protest turned into direct conflict with plant security
The eco-group has done different protest actions before:
- Blocking main highway near factory
- Sitting on train tracks to stop rail service
- Trying to get inside production area
The car-maker didnt answer when asked to comment on the situation
