“The ecoterrorists are the most foolish on the planet,” declared the influential Elon Musk after a sabotage halted production at Tesla’s Berlin-area gigafactory. A government spokesperson, Steffen Hebestreit, described the incident as not a child’s game but an example of how dangerous the far left can be. Musk’s response, posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, and the Chancellor’s spokesperson message echoed early reports of Tuesday’s attack on a high-voltage tower in Brandenburg, where the factory sits. The arson attack has been claimed by a left-wing fringe group calling itself the “Vulkagruppe,” with a statement: “We sabotaged Tesla.” As a result, about 12,000 workers at the plant will stay home for an undetermined period, since production is suspended for at least the week. The world’s largest maker of electric vehicles faces sustained threats to essential infrastructure that appear simple to execute by small, marginal groups if the attribution holds.
Costs tied to the German plant’s shutdown run into the hundreds of millions of euros, according to the plant director, André Thierig. It is unclear when activity will resume, as the state police department continues its investigation. The attack not only disrupted Musk’s electric-car facility but also left thousands of residents in the region without power. This incident underscores weaknesses in critical infrastructure safety across international, national, and regional scales. Germany has faced vulnerabilities from unclarified sabotage that disabled Nord Stream gas pipelines and related infrastructure early in the Ukraine conflict, as well as other localized disruptions to the Deutsche Bahn rail network. The same fringe group has been linked to past, less severe actions against the Brandenburg site, though without major consequences. The group’s ties to the broader radical left have drawn attention in political discussions surrounding the plant’s presence in Brandenburg, a state that encompasses Berlin.
A nearby gigafactory near Berlin targeted by activists and observers
Opened in 2022 with Musk and Scholz present, the plant near Berlin now produces about 1,000 vehicles daily and remains Tesla’s sole European manufacturing site. Its opening faced various delays, partly due to environmental concerns raised by activist groups, farmers, and local residents worried about ecological impact on a forested region. In the end, the job-creation argument for revitalizing an economically lagging eastern Germany carried weight, and the plant’s expansion proceeded. The facility was envisioned to eventually produce around 500,000 cars per year, a goal that has not yet been met. At the time, Musk argued on social media that stopping car production should target fossil-fueled vehicles rather than electric ones.
The billionaire magnate, seen by some as a spokesman for a business-oriented populism and aligned with certain political movements, has faced opposition from left-leaning groups. Local opposition, supported by a tripartite coalition of social democrats, greens, and liberals, has clashed with Musk’s push for a broader industrial project in the area. The site currently covers roughly 300 hectares, with a referendum among residents showing strong opposition to an extension into another 100 hectares. Although the vote was nonbinding, it carried political weight ahead of regional elections in Brandenburg, where far-right groups are seeking a stronger foothold.
In a nearby forest, activists have set up a camp with tents and simple wooden shelters to oppose the expansion that would accompany greater deforestation. The group sought to distance itself from the recent sabotage, hoping the encampment would be tolerated until mid-March, though a documented link to the Vulkagruppe could lead to swift action against the site.
Unprecedented strikes in Nordic countries
The move against Musk’s German project sits alongside labor tensions in Sweden and Denmark. Swedish Tesla technicians walked off the job in October, initially involving about 130 workers across roughly ten shops, with another 470 joining later. Some workers resumed duties mid-February, but the metalworkers union IF Metall pressed ahead with its campaign over working conditions and Musk’s stance on the local collective bargaining agreement. This union solidarity extended to other workshops in Finland, Norway, and Denmark. In Sweden the strike is reported as the longest in the country’s modern history.
Across the Nordic region, the friction reflects broader debates about corporate influence, labor rights, and regional economic strategies as industries adapt to new energy and environmental realities. Analysts note that while some voices see the Tesla project as a catalyst for economic growth and regional renewal, opponents worry about ecological costs and governance of large industrial sites near sensitive ecosystems. Observers emphasize the importance of transparent safety standards, clear labor practices, and political accountability when large, multinational projects meet local communities and environmental concerns. These dynamics continue to shape discussions about sustainable transport, regional development, and the role of private enterprise in public life. (Source: various regional news reports)