Production in Gigafactory suspended for even longer
After an attack by a left-wing extremist group on the power supply at the Tesla Gigafactory in Grünheide, production at the US car manufacturer came to a standstill for a long time. The news blog about current developments.
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An article by
Dirk Schaal, Dennis Lloyd Brätsch, Christian Heinig, Janine Richter, Kerstin Ewald, Cornelius Pape,
dpa
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At the Tesla Gigafactory in Grünheide, production is at a standstill due to a power outage following an arson attack on a high-voltage pylon.
© Photo: Patrick Pleul/dpa
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A burned high-voltage pylon stands in a field between Steinfurt and Hartmannsdorf, Gosen-Neu Zittau municipality, and a police photographer documents the traces.
© Photo: Sebastian Gollnow/dpa
+++ 09:16 a.m. This is what the Interior Minister says +++
After the arson attack on the electric car company Tesla's power supply, Brandenburg's Interior Minister Michael Stübgen (CDU) suspects the perpetrators were in Berlin. The left-wing extremist Vulkan group, whose letter of responsibility the police believe to be authentic, has specialized in carrying out attacks particularly on energy infrastructure, Stübgen said on Deutschlandfunk on Thursday. “It is obviously based in Berlin and operates from there nationwide, possibly internationally.” Left-wing extremist activities in Brandenburg are “almost always controlled from Berlin.” (dpa)
+++ 8:11 a.m. demo against the possible Tesla expansion announced +++
The “Turn off the tap from Tesla” alliance has called for a demonstration against the possible expansion of the Gigafactory in Grünheide. The demonstration under the motto “Tesla, no thanks!” is scheduled to take place on March 10th from 2 p.m. in Grünheide (starting at Fangschleuse train station), as the organizer announced on Thursday.
Before that, a joint press conference by the “Turn off the tap to Tesla” alliance, the “Stop Tesla” initiative, the “Robin Wood” group and the Grünheide citizens’ initiative is planned for the water occupation in the forest at 1 p.m. The initiatives call for immediate and binding implementation of the vote against the Tesla expansion. You will also take a position on the current incidents surrounding the Gigafactory.
+++ Thursday 6:11 a.m. Auto expert sees less damage to Tesla than the company +++
Industry expert Ferdinand Dudenhöffer estimates the previously expected damage from Tesla's production stop in Grünheide after the
attack on the US electric car manufacturer's power supply to be less than the company. “In my opinion, given the current market situation, the pure loss of production for a week is more comparable to damage of perhaps 100 million euros,” said the director of the Center for Automotive Research. “A nine-figure sum is already a high number, which is only understandable if there was very high damage to machines as a result of the fire at Tesla.”
Tesla factory manager André Thierig had estimated the economic damage to be in the high nine-figure range, i.e. hundreds of millions of euros. He included the loss of sales from vehicles that cannot be sold and initially assumed there would be a failure this week.
+++ 8:14 p.m. Production at Tesla will probably stop for a long time +++
Production at the Tesla factory in Grünheide is expected to stop until the end of next week, which is longer than previously expected. According to initial estimates from the US car manufacturer, production was expected to stop by the end of this week. The reason for the delays is said to be complicated repairs to the power line, the company announced this on Wednesday at the request of the Bild newspaper
With the delay, the damage at Tesla is likely to increase significantly, as it was assumed that production would be able to restart on Monday. At the time, the Grünheide plant manager expected damage in the three-digit million range. Now there will probably be another week in which Tesla will not be able to produce and sell cars, but the costs for the company will continue.
+++ 7:57 p.m. Tesla declares millions in damage +++
US electric car manufacturer Tesla has cited a sum of several hundred million euros as downtime costs after production stopped as a result of an attack on the power supply at the factory in Grünheide near Berlin. “This means economic damage for us in the high nine-figure range,” said plant manager André Thierig.
According to information from the German Press Agency on Wednesday, Thierig is referring to the loss of sales of vehicles that cannot be produced and therefore cannot be sold. The plant manager expected a breakdown of more than 1,000 cars per day and expected a loss of production for at least this week. Tesla's Model Y is manufactured in Grünheide. The selling price for this is between around 45,000 euros and just under 60,000 euros.
+++ 7:26 p.m. After the attack - this is what is known about the volcano group +++
The “Turn Off Tesla Volcano Group” has claimed responsibility for the attack on a power pole near the Tesla Gigafactory.
That's how dangerous the left-wing extremist scene in Brandenburg is .
+++ 7:05 p.m. Are forest occupiers threatened with eviction after the attack on Gigafactory? +++
Apparently left-wing radicals cut off the power supply to Tesla's Gigafactory. A day later, camp residents received a visit from the public order office and the police.
Is there a risk of eviction?
Tesla Grünheide
Court decides – works council can be elected
Berlin/Grünheide
+++ 6:16 p.m. After the Tesla attack, the economy is demanding more security +++
The German economy is pushing for more security after the attack on the power supply to the Tesla car factory in Grünheide near Berlin. “Politics and business are jointly required to ensure the security of networks and critical systems,” said the Managing Director of the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK), Martin Wansleben, on Wednesday. The federal government wants to use a law to strengthen the protection of important networks and systems and support the security efforts of operators. Wansleben criticized that the government had been delaying the adoption of the relevant law for months.
+++ 4:41 p.m. On emergency power – this is what the Gigafactory looks like after the attack +++
The day after the attack on a power pole near Steinfurt, production at Tesla's Gigafactory in Grünheide is still stopped. What does it currently look like there?
How do the police act?
+++ 4:04 p.m. arson attack - not a normal operation for the fire department +++
The comrades from Gosen and Neu Zittau had not yet had to put out a burning electricity pylon - until the suspected arson attack on Tesla in Grünheide.
How the emergency services proceeded.
+++ 2:45 p.m. Robert Habeck condemns Tesla attack +++
Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens) has condemned the attack on the power supply to the Tesla factory in Grünheide near Berlin. On Wednesday he spoke of a “crime” that needed to be solved. It is “wrong in every way and unacceptable in any way”. Freedom to demonstrate is a valuable asset. The federal and state governments would have to endure demonstrations.
But the political debate in Germany must not slide, said Habeck at Berlin Brandenburg Airport before his departure to the USA. He spoke out against violence against property and endangering people. “I have the feeling that we have now reached a point, and it must not be set incorrectly,” said Habeck, who is also Federal Minister of Economics. (dpa)
+++ 2:08 p.m. Minister calls Tesla boss: “Elon Musk was very matter-of-fact” +++
According to Brandenburg's Economics Minister Jörg Steinbach (SPD), Tesla boss Elon Musk reacted objectively to the attack, which has temporarily paralyzed the factory in Germany. Steinbach spoke to the company boss on the phone on Tuesday. “Elon Musk was very matter-of-fact and confident in his reaction,” said Steinbach to the “Tagesspiegel” (Wednesday/online). “There was immediate agreement that nothing should happen in response that would have allowed the attackers to succeed. At the same time, he naturally called for both a solidarity response and concrete trust-building responses to support the company and its employees.” (dpa)
+++ 1.40 p.m. VW is better protected from attacks on the power grid +++
While the Gigafactory in Grünheide is at a standstill after a suspected arson attack on a power pole outside the factory premises, Volkswagen's plants in Germany appear to be better protected against such attacks. At least that's what comes from an answer from a VW Group spokesman to MOZ.de: "The supply to the Volkswagen plant in Wolfsburg is ensured by its own power plant and energy distribution systems. “This infrastructure is essentially located on the factory premises,” said the VW spokesman.
The same also applies to the components plant in Kassel-Baunatal. The locations in Emden, Braunschweig, Salzgitter and Hanover, however, would be supplied via the public network, just like Tesla's Gigafactory. “If we have any questions about the safety of the infrastructure outside the factory premises, we support the respective and responsible utility companies as far as we can,” the VW spokesman continued.
+++ 1:01 p.m. Power pole is checked for damage +++
The electricity pylon near Steinfurth (Gosen Neu Zittau) that was damaged in the arson attack has been released by the security authorities, said a spokesman for the network operator Edis. It is now being assessed by structural engineers with regard to stability, it is said. In addition, the technical damage that has occurred will be assessed. The mast is located around 3 kilometers (as the crow flies) from the Tesla factory.
Workers are building a temporary construction road to a power pole with burn marks near Steinfurth in a field near the Tesla car factory.
© Photo: Patrick Pleul/dpa
+++ 12:44 p.m. Gigafactory out after attack? That's what the district administrator of Oder-Spree says +++
After the suspected arson attack, production at Tesla in Grünheide is at a standstill. The US electric car manufacturer expects economic damage in the “high nine-figure range”. Tesla boss Elon Musk also reacted angrily, calling those responsible the “stupidest eco-terrorists in the world”. Tens of thousands of households in the region were also affected by the power outage.
This is how the district administrator of Oder-Spree, Frank Steffen, reacts .
+++ 11:16 a.m. Police classify the letter claiming responsibility for the attack as genuine +++
After the alleged attack on the power supply to the Tesla factory in Grünheide near Berlin, the Brandenburg police classified the letter of responsibility from the left-wing extremist “Vulkan Group” as genuine. “We consider the letter to be genuine,” said Stefanie Pilz from the police headquarters in Potsdam to MOZ.de. However, investigators are not yet talking about an attack. People are still talking about intentional arson, they say. The “Volcano Group” announced on Tuesday that it had sabotaged Tesla. The group accuses Tesla of “extreme conditions of exploitation”. She is also said to
be behind the arson attack in May 2021, in which the power supply to the Tesla factory construction site was cut off .
+++ 11.10 a.m. Police secure Tesla factory +++
The Tesla factory was secured by several police forces throughout the night and into the morning. Emergency vehicles were also parked in front of the entrance. Others were at the protest camp in the forest as well as at the Fangschleuse train station and in the surrounding area. The GVZ was also patrolled. According to MOZ information, there was an increased patrol presence in the Grünheide area throughout the night.
Police presence at the Gigafactory: An emergency vehicle is parked in front of the Tesla factory.
© Photo: Dennis Lloyd Brätsch
+++ 11:04 a.m. Power outage at Tesla triggers debate about protecting the infrastructure +++
The alleged attack on the power supply at the Tesla car factory in Grünheide near Berlin has sparked a debate about better protection of sensitive infrastructure in Germany. “Politics and business are jointly required to ensure the security of networks and critical systems,” said the Managing Director of the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK), Martin Wansleben, on Wednesday. The federal government must finally push forward legal regulations on this. (dpa)
+++ 10:00 a.m. Faeser warns about left-wing extremists +++
After the suspected arson attack on the power supply near the Tesla factory in Grünheide, Brandenburg, Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) warned of a danger posed by the violent left-wing extremist scene. “If a left-wing extremist motive is confirmed, then that is further evidence that left-wing extremists do not shy away from serious interventions in our energy infrastructure,” Faeser told the “Rheinische Post” on Wednesday. The security authorities therefore acted “decisively”. (AFP)
+++ 08:49 a.m. Another power outage near Tesla +++
There was another power outage around Tesla's Gigafactory in Grünheide. Thousands of households had to
survive without electricity for almost three quarters of an hour .
+++ 06:31 a.m. Could ArcelorMittal Eisenhüttenstadt be hit like Tesla? +++
Production in a steel company uses a lot of energy. But what happens in the event of a power outage like the current one at Tesla?
This is the situation with the power supply at ArcelorMittal Eisenhüttenstadt.
+++ Wednesday 6:12 a.m. Tesla factory remains idle +++
After a suspected arson attack, Tesla is expecting a day-long production outage at its factory in Grünheide near Berlin. The police are continuing to investigate whether a
left-wing extremist group is responsible.
According to Tesla, the consequences of the power outage are enormous: “We currently do not expect that we will be able to ramp up production again this week,” said plant manager André Thierig.
+++ 8:27 p.m. Interior Minister Stübgen: “Perpetrators knew where it was particularly sensitive.” +++
Brandenburg's Interior Minister Michael Stübgen (CDU) also wants to prevent sensitive infrastructure from being attacked again with increased controls and police patrols. “But there will not be 100 percent protection,” admitted Stübgen on Tuesday evening in the RBB program “Brandenburg aktuell” after the alleged arson attack on the power supply for the Tesla car factory in Grünheide. “What is astonishing about this process is that the perpetrators knew exactly where it was particularly sensitive,” said the Interior Minister.
“This has nothing to do with protest. They are criminals,” emphasized Stübgen. “These are criminals and we will hunt them down with all the means that our constitutional state provides,” said the Interior Minister.
+++ 8 p.m. plant manager André Thierig on LinkedIn about the arson+++
Tesla factory manager André Thierig commented on the arson attack on Tuesday evening.
© Photo: Screenshot LinkedIN profile/André Thierig/Janine Richter
Tesla Grünheide
Why the attack near the Gigafactory only makes environmental problems worse
A comment by Manja Wilde
+++ 6:09 p.m. Wassertafel condemns violence +++
The Berlin-Brandenburg water board “basically rejects violence to enforce even legitimate demands,” wrote Heidemarie Schroeder in a press release on Tuesday evening. “For years we have been calling for transparency in the unspeakable Tesla approval process as well as a democratic right of co-determination for the population affected by the settlement. (...) Politicians and authorities are responsible for the messy situation in Grünheide.” She describes dealing with this situation with violence as “the worst thing that can be done.” She warns that it endangers the success of citizens' initiatives and essentially justifies future, further, undemocratic actions by politicians and authorities.
+++ 5.36 p.m. Edeka affected - delay in food deliveries +++
In addition to Tesla and thousands of households around Erkner, the GVZ adjacent to the Gigafactory was also affected, including the grocer Edeka. “We work with emergency power generators in our Freienbrink logistics center to largely ensure that the goods are cooled. “In addition, our electricity supplier is working hard to restore the power supply,” said a company spokeswoman. “But it is also clear that picking and delivering goods to our Berlin and Brandenburg markets is currently only possible to a limited extent via other warehouse locations. It is currently unclear when the power supply and thus the supply to the markets can start again.”
In a garden landscaping company in the GVZ, the power was back on late in the morning, according to MOZ inquiries. According to Economics Minister Steinbach, Edeka has apparently suffered significant damage to refrigerated goods.
+++ 5:20 p.m. Tesla operations manager on the power outage +++
Shouldn't Tesla be prepared for a power outage like this? Heiko Steinmetz, operations manager at Tesla, said: “Our emergency plan worked, there was never any danger to people or the environment.” There is 100 percent redundancy in the power supply. This means that the power supply is doubly secured. Apparently both supply lines were affected by the electricity pylon fire or the attack.
+++ 5:05 p.m. Woidke sees the economy threatened after the alleged attack against Tesla +++
Brandenburg's Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke sees the economy in danger after the alleged attack against US car manufacturer Tesla in Grünheide. “If the background is really to cause damage to a business company – namely Tesla – then of course it also has consequences for the entire economy in Germany,” said Woidke on Tuesday in Potsdam. The alleged attack on the electricity infrastructure was “an unacceptable act of violence”. “Business companies that invest in Germany, Tesla – but also everyone else – trust that the constitutional state will not only support them, but that it will also protect them in the event of such attacks and that is what we will do.”
+++ 4:59 p.m. Tesla camp's tolerance is in question +++
After the arson attack on the power supply for the Tesla car factory in Brandenburg, the state government is examining whether it should reassess the protest camp of critics near the plant. “This can also mean ending toleration,” said Economics Minister Jörg Steinbach. Most recently it was said that the camp set up last week would initially be tolerated until mid-March.
In addition, further security measures were discussed between Tesla and the police. Whatever is possible will be intensified. We looked again at which infrastructure was critical. “And we will certainly ensure greater security,” said Steinbach. But he also made it clear: “In the end, you are not immune to a terrorist attack.”
+++ 4.50 p.m. Attacks on the electricity infrastructure: Zero tolerance from the police +++
The police union calls on society to resolutely oppose any form of violence and sabotage that is intended to cause harm and spread fear. “It is important that we stand together for the values that form the foundation of our democratic order: respect, dialogue and peaceful debate,” says a press release. “The constitutional state must respond to such attacks with the utmost determination and severity. “We support the statement by Interior Minister Michael Stübgen and emphasize the need for a quick and thorough investigation of the incident.”
The latest attack represents a direct attack on public safety and the well-being of thousands of people. “This incident not only led to a widespread power outage, which also affected the operation of the TESLA plant, but also massively endangered the livelihoods of many citizens ", it was said. “Such acts cannot be justified under any circumstances. They undermine trust in our society and the principles of peaceful coexistence.”
+++ 4:37 p.m. Federal Economics Minister Habeck called for quick clarification. +++
Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck also spoke out and called for quick clarification. “The attack on the electricity supply is an attack on our critical infrastructure,” explained the Green politician. “This must now be clarified and punished quickly. Violence and sabotage must not be a means of conflict.”
+++ 4:03 p.m. Tesla factory manager comments on millions in damage +++
“We are deeply saddened by what happened today,” said Tesla factory manager André Thierig. It is the second direct attack on the power supply of this factory. There was also a third attack on the railway facility nearby. Because of the production standstill, the company expects economic damage in the “high nine-figure range”.
It is assumed that the power supply will be interrupted for several days. It is unclear when production will resume. Whether this could happen at the beginning of next week will become apparent in the next few days.
Tesla is now very concerned about the safety of its employees. Nevertheless, Tesla managed to bring the systems to a controlled standstill. “There was never any danger, be it to people or the environment.” However, much worse could have happened, said the manager.
From Tesla's point of view, it was clearly an "attack on this industrial settlement" in Brandenburg, said Thierig. More than 12,000 employees cannot currently be employed. There is currently a very critical mood against Tesla. “We don’t think that’s nice at all, we don’t want that,” said Thierig. He cannot currently say whether this could have an impact on the further expansion of the factory. However, there were no current threatening letters.
+++ 4 p.m. Operations manager Heiko Steinmetz about fire in the factory +++
Tesla operations manager Heiko Steinmetz: The aluminum in the melting furnace had to be drained into a sand basin in a controlled manner. A small fire started, but was immediately brought under control. However, there was no danger to people or the environment, said Steinmetz.
+++ 3:34 p.m. Minister Steinbach makes a statement +++
There is a press conference about the suspected attack on the Gigafactory site. Economics Minister Jörg Steinbach (SPD) is currently speaking. The attack “crossed several red lines,” he told press representatives. The attack had “terrorist tendencies” and affected an entire region of six communities.
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Several 10,000 people, hospitals and retirement homes were affected. “Those who carried out the attack accepted that people would be injured,” he said. “This is not a democratic way of dealing with things, regardless of how you feel about the factory.”
+++ 3:26 p.m. Woidke: Attack is a “form of terrorism” +++
Brandenburg's Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke (SPD) calls the attack on critical infrastructure a "form of terrorism". What is now necessary is consistent action by the rule of law, explained the Prime Minister in Potsdam. “If the suspicion of a terrorist attack is confirmed, the Federal Prosecutor General will have to take over the investigation.”
+++ 3:03 p.m. Interior Minister condemns alleged arson attack +++
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) strongly condemned the alleged arson attack on a power line near the Tesla car factory in Brandenburg and called for comprehensive clarification. “Such an attack on our electricity infrastructure is a serious crime that cannot be justified by anything,” said Faeser on Tuesday in Berlin.
+++ 2:49 p.m. Tesla boss Elon Musk comments +++
Tesla boss Elon Musk reacted to the alleged attack in view of the production stop at his factory in Grünheide due to a power outage. “These are either the stupidest eco-terrorists in the world or they are puppets of those who do not have good environmental goals,”
Musk wrote on Tuesday in English on the X portal (formerly Twitter). “Stopping the production of electric vehicles instead of fossil fuel vehicles is extremely stupid.” The Tesla boss wrote the words “extremely stupid” in German.
+++ 2:42 p.m. Environmental activists distance themselves +++
The occupiers of a forest near the Tesla factory in Grünheide, Brandenburg, have condemned a suspected attack on a nearby high-voltage pylon. The environmental activists from the “Stop Tesla” initiative said on Tuesday that they were opposing the expansion of the factory with their tree houses. “We are not endangering human lives,” emphasized the initiative. The environmental organization Robin Wood, which supports the forest occupiers, also firmly rejected speculation about a connection between their activities and the fire.
+++ 12:23 p.m. Letter of responsibility for the attack +++
The “Vulkan Group”, classified as left-wing extremist, has committed itself to an “attack on the power supply” near the Tesla factory near Berlin as a protest against the US car manufacturer.
“We sabotaged Tesla today,” the group said in a letter on Tuesday. The Brandenburg police are currently assuming arson, and the State Security Office of the State Criminal Police Office has started the investigation. The power outage caused a production stop at Tesla, and numerous households in the region were also affected.
The status so far:
Production in Tesla's only European Gigafactory has been at a standstill since the early hours of the morning following a power outage. A press spokeswoman confirmed this to our media company on Tuesday morning. According to the East Police Department, a high-voltage pylon caught fire in a field between Steinfurt and Hartmannsdorf, Gosen-Neu Zittau municipality, around 5:15 a.m. Pictures also show this.
Tesla would take all measures to secure the production facilities. “The production was canceled and the employees were sent home,” the spokeswoman explains. The night shift employees had to leave the factory, while the early shift workers, who were supposed to start at 6 a.m., were unable to enter. The company is in close contact with the authorities and the network operator Edis. “We are currently unable to say when production is expected to resume,” says the Tesla spokeswoman.
Police confirm arson – sniffer dogs should follow perpetrators
According to information from MOZ.de, there were early indications of a targeted arson attack. The possible destination:
Tesla's Gigafactory . Now, according to the press spokeswoman for Potsdam Police Headquarters Pilz, a
letter of responsibility from the volcano group Turn off Tesla has appeared. “We have a letter of responsibility that is currently being examined,” she said.
Tesla Grünheide
Volcano group claims responsibility for attack on electricity pylon
Grünheide
“The State Security Department of the State Criminal Police Office took over the investigation. We are currently assuming arson,” said Beate Kardels, another spokeswoman for the police headquarters. According to current information, no one was injured. Crime scene work is still ongoing. “Service dog handlers are on duty to follow tracks. Traces are captured photographically. The riot police are on site. In the meantime, a helicopter from Ahrensfelde was in the air. Drones are also over the area, the LKA and the criminal police are on site,” says Beate Kardels, describing the contingent. She couldn't say how many officers there are in total.
Fire near Steinfurth: Special police forces arrived at the scene of the fire around 9:30 a.m.
© Photo: Dennis Lloyd Brätsch
There is currently no evidence of a bomb, nor of ammunition being found in the forest surrounding the factory. “There is no information that there could be anything explosive there,” says the spokeswoman. It is currently unclear whether the attack is related to the protests against the expansion of the Tesla factory. “We are investigating in all directions,” says Beate Kardels.
Power outage: Not just Tesla affected
Since the early hours of the morning there have been power outages in many households in Erkner, Grünheide and the southeast of Berlin. “My watch stopped for the first time at 3:50 a.m.,” says Bernd Flister from Grünheide. Many reports from this area are visible on corresponding outage portals on the Internet.
Tesla Grünheide
Elon Musk condemns alleged attack – “Dumbest eco-terrorists”
Grünheide
As
network operator Edis has now confirmed, one of the network operator's high-voltage pylons was damaged by a fire. “The damage site is currently secured. “Edis emergency services and partner companies have been on site since the early hours of the morning to assess the damage and initiate and coordinate further necessary steps, such as switching operations,” explains press spokesman Danilo Fox. The repair of the affected area of damage to the high-voltage pylon is currently being prepared. After clearance from the responsible investigative authorities, Edis would begin repair work “immediately,” said Fox.
The Oder-Spree district was particularly affected by a power outage
According to an Edis spokesman, as a result of the damage to the high-voltage pylon, there were supply interruptions in Grünheide-Freienbrink, Erkner, Neu Zittau, Dahlwitz-Hoppegarten, Neuenhagen, Woltersdorf, Schöneiche and Gosen. “Due to the switchover measures initiated immediately by the Edis network experts, all affected communities, with the exception of a large industrial settlement and production facility and a logistics center, have now been supplied again,” says Fox. Because of the ongoing police investigation, he is currently unable to provide any further information.
Tesla Grünheide
Forest occupiers' protest gets support - the current status
Grünheide
Mast and transformer house - evidence of arson
The area around the high-voltage pylon is largely closed. According to our information, there are indications of arson. Old tires and paper are said to have been found, which could apparently have been used to deliberately ignite power cables. These come out of the ground at this point. Eyewitnesses also reported a fire in a transformer house east of Tesla.
When asked, the authorities and police initially did not comment on a possible connection with protests around the Tesla factory site. Since Wednesday (February 28), around 80 to 100 environmental activists have been occupying part of the forest near the Tesla Gigafactory, which Elon Musk's company plans to clear in the event of an expansion of its site. The activists have built more than ten tree houses several meters high and announced that they want to hold out peacefully for as long as possible.