Berlin, Germany – The Tesla factory near Berlin was the target of an arson attack by a group of far-left activists, leading to a disruption in the power supply to the facility. The activists, known as the “Volcano Group,” claimed responsibility for the attack in a letter published on an alternative German media website, Kontrapolis. Authorities in the German state of Brandenburg are currently investigating the authenticity of the letter.

In their statement, the Volcano Group expressed their opposition to Tesla’s operations, citing environmental concerns and accusing the factory of causing harm to the earth and consuming valuable resources. The group alleged that the factory’s production of thousands of SUVs, killer cars, and monster trucks every week contributes to environmental degradation.

As a result of the attack, Tesla’s factory was evacuated, and production came to a standstill. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in response to the incident, criticized the activists, questioning their environmental motives and highlighting the importance of transitioning to electric vehicles to combat climate change.

The disruption in production at Tesla’s Berlin factory also affected nearby villages that rely on the power supply from the facility. The interior minister for Brandenburg, Michael Stuebgen, condemned the attack, emphasizing the severe consequences of sabotaging critical infrastructure like electricity grids.

Despite the setback caused by the arson attack, Tesla had plans to expand its production capacity at the European factory to become the largest car plant in Europe. However, local residents opposed the expansion, leading to uncertainty about the future of the factory’s growth.

Environmental activists have been occupying part of the forest near the plant since Thursday, protesting Tesla’s plans to clear the area for expansion. While some groups distanced themselves from the power outage incident, tensions surrounding environmental concerns and industrial expansion continue to impact Tesla’s operations in Germany.