Tesla production has been at a standstill for a long time after the attack – this is how politicians respond

After the attack on the power supply at its German factory, Tesla will have to interrupt production for significantly longer than previously expected. The stop is expected to last until the end of next week, the company announced on Wednesday evening. The tabloid ‘Bild’ previously reported about it.

This means that the economic damage to the company will be even greater. Plant manager André Thierig had previously expected a nine-figure sum, or several hundred million euros. He still assumed that production would be able to restart next Monday, but now there would be another week of downtime.

Tens of thousands affected

On Tuesday, previously unknown perpetrators set fire to an electricity pole in a field that is also responsible for supplying the Tesla factory. Production in Grünheide near Berlin was subsequently stopped.

Tens of thousands of residents in the region were also affected by the power outage. The police described a letter of responsibility from the left-wing extremist ‘Vulkan Group’ as authentic. Energy network operator Edis announced that emergency services are working hard to restore electricity to the Tesla factory and a logistics center.

The left-wing extremist ‘Vulkan Group’ accuses Tesla of ‘extreme conditions of exploitation’. The group wrote on Tuesday about sabotage against Tesla. “We consider the letter to be genuine,” said a spokeswoman for the Brandenburg police.

There was already an arson in May 2021, in which a power cable that also supplies the Tesla construction site was damaged. At that time, a letter also appeared in the name of the ‘volcano group’ which was classified as authentic by the security authorities. The perpetrators could not be identified.

The head of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution fears radicalization

Thuringia’s Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Stephan Kramer, warned about the radicalization of left-wing extremism. “The left-wing extremist scene is continuing its own radicalization, even locally,” Kramer told the Editorial Network Germany (RND) on Thursday.

The inhibition threshold for the use of violence in political disputes is becoming increasingly lower. “Yesterday there were actions releasing air from the tires of SUVs, today there are arsons against critical infrastructure,” Kramer said.

Environmentalists are taking position

A citizen survey in Grünheide shows that about two-thirds reject Tesla’s planned expansion with a freight station and warehouse on an adjacent site. More than 100 hectares of forest have to be cut down there.

On Thursday, environmental activists and Tesla critics set up a protest camp with tree houses in the forest near the factory. A demonstration against Tesla is planned for Sunday. Tesla in Grünheide employs approximately 12,500 people. The automaker plans to expand the existing factory.

The new law aims to better protect critical infrastructure

The economy in Germany is calling for more security after the attack. “Politicians and businesses have a joint obligation to ensure the security of networks and critical systems,” said Martin Wansleben, Managing Director of the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK).

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.

The Federal Ministry of the Interior plans for the cabinet to implement the so-called CRITIS overarching law offers. This is intended to better protect vital infrastructure against dangers.

In addition, it is the duty of network operators to protect their infrastructure, said Federal Ministry of the Interior spokesperson Maximilian Kall. This is of course easier with a substation than with an electricity pole in a field.

(dsc/sda/dpa)