From a leafy London suburb to the bustling streets of Edinburgh, thousands of SUV drivers across the UK are waking up to find their tyres deflated in an eco craze sweeping Britain.
Activists from Tyre Extinguishers, a vigilante group of climate change protesters, sneak out into the dead of night in affluent areas of the country and deflate the tyres of ‘gas-guzzling’ 4x4s including Range Rovers, Mazdas and Volkswagens.
In pursuit of their goal of ‘making it impossible to own an SUV in the world’s urban areas’, they have, over the past two years, hit vehicle owners in major British cities including London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol, but have also taken their activism around the globe, striking in France, Germany and the United States.
In their latest raid, residents in Sands End, Fulham, were left fuming after around 20 luxury SUV’s, including Range Rovers, Bentley’s and Porsche’s, were punctured on Monday night.
Locals blasted the eco-zealots for their aggressive approach, suggesting they targeted ‘the wrong people’.
But perhaps most unconventional of all is their website, in which they lay out to their members, of which there is an unknown number, ‘How to spot an SUV’.
Tyre Extinguishers, a vigilante group of climate change protesters, sneak out into the dead of night in affluent areas of the country and deflate the tyres of ‘gas-guzzling’ 4x4s
In pursuit of their goal of ‘making it impossible to own an SUV in the world’s urban areas’, they have, over the past two years, hit vehicle owners in major British cities – including these cars in Fulham, West London this week
Perhaps most unconventional of all is their website, in which they lay out to their members, of which there is an unknown number, ‘How to spot an SUV’
‘SUVs and 4x4s are easy to recognize because they are much larger than ordinary cars, towering above them and taking up huge amounts of space’, they spell out.
The group, which were founded in 2021 but did not properly begin action until March 2022, also have a ‘how to deflate an SUV tyre’ section.
Among their top tips are: ‘target posh areas’, ‘practice on a bicycle tyre’ and ‘bring some friends’.
Outrageously, they also insist that even electric and hybrid SUVs are ‘fair game’.
A spokesperson for the Alliance of British Drivers strongly condemned the group, saying the people doing this should receive ‘full consequence of the law’.
They told MailOnline: ‘It’s difficult to comprehend how people could do this. It’s honestly quite monstrous.
‘What do they think they’re gaining? It’s ridiculous. They want to take it out on owners and create all sorts of problems for people.
‘What they’re doing is illegal, and the punishment should fit the crime. Quite honestly the crime is pretty nasty.
‘We must deal with them properly and put an end to it once and for all’.
Precisely who is behind the shadowy group, which claims to be leaderless, remains unclear.
But their decision to take direct action that affects the lives of ordinary members of the public mimics the tactics of Just Stop Oil, Extinction Rebellion (XR) and Insulate Britain, whose protests have gridlocked cities and roads in recent years.
After damaging the cars, the group leave a leaflet under the wiper of the windscreen
This photo shows an activist working under the cover of darkness and with their face obscured
The group as so far slashed tyres on thousands of vehicles across the UK, and aims to ‘make it impossible’ to drive an SUV in urban areas
While the Tyre Extinguishers deny they are affiliated to any other organisation, when it set up a Twitter account last summer, the very first group it followed was XR.
In 2022, the group created a bizarre ‘European cup competition’ – with protesters setting up a ‘leader board’ of attacks, with activists in Paris claiming they are challenging Bristol and Brighton for the title of ‘most extinguished city’.
After boasting of ‘disarming’ more than 120 vehicles in just one night, activists in France issued a rallying cry.
They wrote on Twitter: ‘Forget the Champions League, take part in the Extinguishers Cup.
‘Finally a Parisian club that is successful in a European competition!’
Some of the SUVs that have had their tyres let down also include electric and hybrids, as the group considers them both unsafe in urban areas, dramatically stating that ‘a child killed by a massive SUV doesn’t care if it’s electric or not.’
The vigilantes also claim that there are ‘not enough rare earth metals’ to build electric and hybrid cars to replace conventional cars with them, and that ‘the danger to other road users still stands’.
After damaging the cars, the group leave a leaflet under the wiper of the windscreen. It reads: ‘We have deflated one or more of your tyres.
‘You’ll be angry, but don’t take it personally. It’s not you. It’s your car.
‘We did this because driving around urban areas in your massive vehicle has consequences for others.’
It goes on to state that urgent action is needed to reduce emissions and that SUVs are likely to cause more pollution than smaller cars.
Residents in a quiet west London town have been left fuming after eco-vandals deflated the tyres of more than 20 luxury SUVs in their latest environmental protest
The activists claimed responsibility for an overnight attack on 60 SUV’s at a Jaguar garage in Exeter last year
Climate activists expand tire-slashing operation to NYC
Vehicles at the Jaguar Exeter dealership on Matford Way, owned by Vertu Motors
The note adds: ‘Even if you don’t care about the impacts on people far away from you, there’s also consequences for your neighbours.
‘SUVs cause more air pollution than smaller cars. SUVs are more likely to kill people than normal cars in collisions.
‘Psychological studies show SUV drivers are more likely to take risks on the road. SUVs are unnecessary and pure vanity.’
The group have demanded that the government introduce ‘bans on SUVs in urban areas, pollution levies to tax SUVs out of existence, and massive investment in free, comprehensive public transport.
However, they say: ‘Until politicians make this a reality, Tyre Extinguishers action will continue.’
Legal experts say that although prosecution is unlikely, the activists could actually be committing a criminal offence.
Laura Baumanis, a criminal defence solicitor at legal defence firm Olliers, told MailOnline: ‘Whilst it is extremely rare for someone to be prosecuted for letting the air out of a tyre, technically, it could be classed as criminal damage.
‘For this offence to be satisfied, any damage caused does not have to be permanent, but is made out by virtue of the fact that steps need to be taken, ordinarily at expense to the owner, for the item to be in a working condition again.’
Globally, the number of SUVs has increased from less than 50 million in 2010 to around 320 million last year – equivalent to the total car fleet of Europe. Because of their size, on average, SUVs consume around a quarter more energy than medium-sized cars.
The note, damaged by rain, left on the luxury cars
Range Rovers, Bentley’s and Porsche’s were among the vehicles targeted in Sands End, Fulham, on Monday night
The group have demanded that the government introduce ‘bans on SUVs in urban areas
Globally, the number of SUVs has increased from less than 50 million in 2010 to around 320 million last year
A 2019 study by the International Energy Agency found that they rank among the top contributors to energy-related carbon dioxide emissions growth over the past decade – cancelling out the reductions from people switching to electric cars.
Because of their size, they are also said to be more dangerous when involved in an accident.
On Monday, residents in a quiet West London town were left fuming after the eco-vandals deflated the tyres of more than 20 luxury SUVs.
One man, who owns a renewable natural gas company, had his Range Rover punctured by the eco-zealots.
He told MailOnline: ‘I’m fuming to be honest. It’s very frustrating.
‘A stunt like this is just so short-sighted and with no context. They’re not targeting other cars even though they may have higher carbon emissions.’
The man, who requested to remain anonymous, said he discovered the puncture as he was heading out to get his electric bike fixed.
He added: ‘I rarely even use my car. About once or twice a month when I venture out of London or go abroad so I can take my dogs.
‘Instead I walk or use my electric bike. But they clearly don’t care about that’.
Asked on what he would say to the mob that damaged his car, he explained: ‘I’d honestly rather have a conversation with them and open a dialogue. Rather than just letting my tyres down and making some irrelevant statement’.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13083243/Who-Tyre-Extinguishers-Anti-social-eco-vandals.html
