By Oliver Barth and Stefan Remter

GRUENHEIDE, Germany (Reuters) -Protesters against Tesla (NASDAQ:)’s growth of its plant close to Berlin have been holding out in treehouses on Tuesday as German police climbed up ladders and minimize down rope buildings in an try to clear their forested camp.

In Could, the protesters clashed with police as some tried to storm the ability, which is the U.S. electrical automobile maker’s solely European gigafactory and employs some 12,000 employees.

Police stated on Tuesday that legal offences and violations of meeting laws, together with resisting a police operation, had meant the safety of the Tesla website might now not be assured.

Led by the Disrupt Tesla group, protesters argue that plans to double the manufacturing unit’s measurement will harm the atmosphere.

“There are nonetheless individuals within the bushes right here who’re resisting,” stated Mila, a spokesperson for the protest camp.

“The state of affairs is after all harmful, slippery by way of security, it is raining and it is freezing chilly all day. However we’ll proceed our protest.”

Tesla didn’t reply to a request for remark from Reuters.

Though some protesters left of their very own accord after police introduced the clearance earlier on Tuesday, “there are presently nonetheless individuals in bushes and cord buildings” police stated, including efforts to clear the camp have been ongoing.

Disrupt Tesla had referred to as in a submit on social media platform X on Monday for mass protests towards “the destruction brought on by Tesla and Elon Musk” to forests and water.

Protesters have, previously, additionally disrupted the encompassing space by blocking a close-by motorway and interrupting the rail service by sitting on the tracks.