Tesla shares drop after an alleged arson attack on Tesla’s Gigafactory in Berlin, causing Tesla to halt production. The facility is likely to be without power for several days, resulting in a decrease of shares by 4.5%, and a stock decrease of 7.1%. Left-wing extremist group Vulkangruppe also known as Volcano Group, claimed to be responsible for the attack in a letter posted to an news site called Kontrapolis. The letter could not be authorized. The new factory is expected to double its capacity to 100 gigawatt hours of battery production, and to produce 1 million cars per year. The expansion plans for this Gigafactory has caused controversy as plans to plant more trees have been scraped to make way for the expansion of the factory. Environmental activists have been occupying nearby forests to discourage the expansion of the factory. The Volcano group as well took responsibility for another arson attack that took place in 2021 at Tesla’s Gruenheide site.

While it’s true that many businesses contribute to environmental degradation, Tesla often finds itself under the microscope of environmental activists, likely due to its remarkable success. Being one of the most heavily invested and exaggerated companies, Tesla naturally becomes a prime target for dissenting groups. Despite the undeniable impact of The Volcano Group’s actions, Tesla’s status as the 9th largest multinational corporation suggests that the fallout from this incident may not significantly affect its operations in the long term.

I empathize with The Volcano Group’s motivation to protest against a corporation like Tesla, given concerns about its carbon footprint. However, there are undoubtedly more constructive avenues for expressing dissent and catalyzing change without resorting to destructive actions. It is important to recognize that the individuals employed at the Tesla Gigafactory in Berlin often lack the power and direct influence over corporate decisions. The Volcano group’ actions have undoubtedly affected the workers of the Tesla Gigafactory, when they should be pointing their frustration towards the people in power over the corporate decisions.