What to Know:
Tesla has announced that operations at its Gigafactory near Berlin has been suspended until further notice after an arson attack by the far-left “Volcano Group” left the facility without power, resulting in losses “in the high nine-digit euro range.”
The Attack:
The Volcano Group targeted a high-voltage electricity pylon near the Gigafactory in an unspecified arson attack, which left it and nearby towns without power.
A statement released by the group claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that “Tesla in Grünau eats earth, resources, people, labor and spits out 6000 SUV?, killer machines and monster trucks per week,” further calling Tesla CEO Elon Musk a “technofascist.”
“The Gigafactory has become known for its extreme conditions of exploitation. The factory contaminates the groundwater and consumes huge amounts of the already scarce drinking water resource for its products.”
The statement added that “Tesla is a symbol of “green capitalism” and a totalitarian technological attack on society” and “stands for colonialism, land robbery and an exacerbation of the climate crisis! The lithium batteries come from toxic mines in Chile and devour other rare metals, which means misery and destruction for the people in the mining areas.”
“On the eve of March 8th, we therefore lit a beacon against capital, patriarchy, colonialism and Tesla. We face the continuous rape of the earth with sabotage.The ideology of boundless economic growth and a belief in progress based on destruction have come to an end,” the statement concluded, adding that “We feel connected to all people who don’t let Tesla turn off their taps… Together we bring Tesla to its knees.”
Volcano Group is believed to be behind a similar arson attack in 2021 targeting a Tesla construction site.
Tesla Response:
Gigafactory Manager Andre Thierig told reporters that it would take several days to restore power and get everything back up and running again, adding that losses from the attack will be “in the high nine-digit euro range.”
There were no reports of injuries or damage aside from the pylon.
On X, Musk responded to the attack by posting “These are either the dumbest eco-terrorists on Earth or they’re puppets of those who don’t have good environmental goals,” adding that “Stopping production of electric vehicles, rather than fossil fuel vehicles, ist extrem dumm.”
