A group of climate activists known as the “Tyre Extinguishers” have recently been deflating the tires of these SUV vehicles in protest of climate change.
The activist group has also spray-painted SUV’s with the phrase, “these cars kill Valencians.”
This is in relation to the recent flooding in Valencia, Spain, which has been described by the Guardian as “the worst natural disaster in recent Spanish history.”
The flood has reportedly killed 220 people and has sparked strong reactions on social media.
In addition, the activist group attached images of the flood victims to the windows and windshields of SUV’s. One victim includes Jose Castillejo, a famous football who played for the Valencia under-19 team in his club career.
The Tyre Extinguishers have promised to continue their actions until all SUVs are banned.
The group have been active for a number of years. In March 2022, they had punctured the tyres of roughly 3,000 vehicles across the UK.
The activists operate beyond Edinburgh in other major cities, including London. In each city they focus on affluent areas where large, high-emission vehicles are more prevalent.
According to research from the International Energy Agency (IEA), SUVs produce over one billion tonnes of carbon emissions globally each year.
The Tyre Extinguishers are also active on social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) and have continued spreading their environmental urgency message. One of their recent posts read:
“40 SUVS DEFLATED IN EDINBURGH NEW TOWN WITH VOW TO CONTINUE”
The activist group also has a website TyreExtinguishers.com where they provide instructions on “How To Deflate An SUV Tyre”
The group claims they are “taking this action because governments and politicians have failed to protect us”.
“Kia Sorento SLi – Best SUV over $40,000 – Australias Best Cars” by The National Roads and Motorists’ Association is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
