Environmental protests against Tesla’s factory outside of Berlin show no sign of abating, with around 50 people participating in a forest walk demonstration on Saturday.
The protest was organized by the Turn Off the Tap on Tesla group, which argues the US electric carmaker’s presence is threatening water supplies in one of the driest areas of Germany.
“This production facility is a danger to groundwater and drinking water,” said group spokeswoman Caro Weber.
Police described the protest as peaceful.
Participants say they are motivated by Tesla’s plan to expand its 300-hectare factory site in the small town of Grünheide to include a freight depot and logistics areas.
There is also concern among anti-Tesla activists about further deforestation of the area, which led some last year to set up camp in the forest near the factory, which is only one Tesla has in Europe.
Tesla has hit back at the environmental criticism, arguing that its water consumption has decreased and that it recycles up to 100% of the factory process wastewater.
The factory, which opened in 2022, has seen recurring protests over the years.
Lately protests have focused directly on Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has attracted criticism for his polarizing political statements and his role as a key adviser to US President Donald Trump.
In early April, hundreds gathered in front of a Tesla showroom in Berlin to demonstrate against Musk, who has repeatedly thrown his support behind the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
The protests come at a challenging time for Tesla’s electric vehicle sales in Europe. While new Tesla registrations in March surpassed February’s figures, they were still 42.5% lower than the same month last year.