Tesla’s production in Berlin grinded to a sudden halt as the manufacturing plant fell victim to a purported act of ‘sabotage’ orchestrated by a radical far-left faction, as reported by Al Jazeera. Emergency responders were swiftly deployed after reports of a blazing electricity pylon near the Tesla facility southeast of Berlin surfaced on Tuesday.

Despite successfully extinguishing the fire, the electric car factory in the state of Brandenburg and the surrounding areas experienced power outage due to the damage inflicted upon the vital power cables. Authorities promptly launched an inquiry into the incident, suspecting arson as the cause. The Vulkangruppe (Volcano Group), an extremist faction leaning towards the far-left, claimed responsibility for the act, as per Al Jazeera’s report.

“In our pursuit of sabotage, our aim was to orchestrate a massive blackout of the Gigafactory,” asserted the group in a statement. Expressing concerns about the potential impact of the plant on local water sources and the environment, they declared, “We stand in solidarity with all those who oppose allowing Tesla to turn off the tap.”

Addressing the alleged perpetrators, Tesla CEO Elon Musk conveyed on X, “These individuals are either the most ignorant eco-terrorists on the planet or mere puppets manipulated by those lacking genuine environmental objectives.” He further remarked, “Halting the production of electric vehicles, as opposed to traditional fossil fuel vehicles, ist extrem dumm,” employing German to emphasize “is extremely foolish,” as reported by Al Jazeera.

Meanwhile, Brandenburg’s Interior Minister, Michael Stuebgen, warned that if arson is proven, it would constitute a “perfidious attack on our electricity infrastructure,” as per Al Jazeera. “Thousands of individuals have been deprived of their essential utilities and placed in peril. The legal system will respond to such an act of sabotage with the utmost severity,” affirmed the minister.

Although electricity was restored in the neighboring towns and villages within a few hours, Tesla remained without power, and authorities estimated it would take several days to fully reinstate it at the facility. Since its inauguration in March 2022, Tesla has been in direct competition with domestic German automakers. The power disruption coincided with protests against Tesla’s expansion held in a nearby forest by environmental groups, where activists erected treehouses and pitched tents.