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CRIME

Leftist crime on the rise

New figures on politically-motivated crime show a sharp increase in leftist crime in Germany last year, along with a slight fall in far-right crime, it was revealed Monday.

Leftist crime on the rise
Photo: DPA

According to a report in the Bild daily, preliminary statistics show that the German authorities recorded 1,160 cases of left-wing motivated violent incidents last year – up 25 percent on the year before.

The violence led to 783 people being injured, 43 percent more than in 2010, when 547 people were injured.

In contrast, the number of far-right motivated crimes dropped slightly last year, from 597 in 2010 to 579.

There was also a rise in the total number of crimes – violent or not – at both ends of the political spectrum last year, with 5,839 left-wing crimes (4,928 in 2010) and 12,381 right-wing crimes (12,262 in 2010).

But there was an 11 percent fall in crime directly associated with anti-Semitism last year, with only 775 instances recorded, as opposed to 873 in 2010.

The Local/bk

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BUSINESS

Elon Musk visits Tesla’s sabotage-hit German factory

Elon Musk travelled Wednesday to Tesla's factory near Berlin to lend his workers "support" after the plant was forced to halt production by a suspected arson attack on nearby power lines.

Elon Musk visits Tesla's sabotage-hit German factory

The Tesla CEO addressed thousands of employees on arrival at the site, accusing “eco-terrorists” of the sabotage as he defended his company’s green credentials.

With his son X AE A-XII in his arms, Musk said: “I am here to support you.”

The billionaire’s visit came a week after power lines supplying the electric carmaker’s only European plant were set on fire in an act of sabotage claimed by a far-left group called the Vulkangruppe (Volcano Group).

READ ALSO: Far-left group claims ‘sabotage’ on Tesla’s German factory

Musk had said then that the attack was “extremely dumb”, while the company said it would cost it several hundred million euros.

A week on, the lights have come back on at the site, but Andre Thierig, who heads the site, said on LinkedIn that it would “take a bit of time” before production is back to full speed.

Industry experts have warned that the reputational impact caused by the sabotage on the region could be more severe than the losses suffered by Tesla.

Tesla’s German plant started production in 2022 following an arduous two-year approval and construction process dogged by administrative and legal obstacles.

Tesla wants to expand the site by 170 hectares and boost production up to one million vehicles annually to feed Europe’s growing demand for electric cars and take on rivals who are shifting away from combustion engine vehicles.

But the plans have annoyed local residents, who voted against the project in a non-binding ballot last month.

After the vote, Tesla said it might have to rethink the plans. Environmental activists opposed to the expansion of the factory have recently also set up a camp in a wooded area near the plant.

READ ALSO: Why is Tesla’s expansion near Berlin so controversial?

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