The Tesla Giga Berlin protest started off peacefully on its first day, as no violent riots were reported. On Wednesday, May 8, 2024, almost 50 people gathered in front of the State Parliament in Potsdam to demonstrate against Tesla Giga Berlin.
The police deemed the protest as peaceful, but did remove a banner erected by the environmental group, Robin Wood, that bore the message “Transportation change instead of car companies.” This organized protest is expected to span several days, with hundreds of activists anticipated to join.
Organizers from the Ende Gelände environmental group noted that around 1,200 people have registered for the protest. Later on, on Sunday, protest participants sought to set up tents at Werlsee, located approximately 2 kilometers north of the EV factory’s forest site, where around 200 tents were established near the open-air stage in Lake Werlsee.
As the protest unfolds, Tesla Giga Berlin plans to pause its production on Thursday, May 9, 2024, due to the holiday, with Friday, May 10, 2024, designated as a bridge day for vehicle production. Employees not involved in vehicle production are expected to work from home on May 10 due to the protests.
Looking ahead, Tesla has ambitious plans to expand its production in Germany, aiming to increase capacity to 1 million units per year. However, tensions have grown, culminating in local protests.
Only time will tell how the situation will evolve for Tesla Giga Berlin.