Tyre Extinguishers activists who deflated tyres in Sheffield 'won’t stop until it’s impossible to own an SUV'

Tyre Extinguishers first took action last Monday and members have targeted SUVs, which are generally known for being larger than average and having features like four-wheel drive and high ground clearance.

A spokesperson from the group said: “We have plans to scale up the action massively, and we expect many others to see what we’ve done and follow our example.

“We won’t stop until it’s impossible to own an SUV in the UK.”

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Research from the International Energy Agency in 2019 found that SUVs contributed more carbon emissions than heavy industry, planes or trucks.

The group was inspired by a similar activist collective in Sweden, called ‘The Indians of the Concrete Jungle’, who targeted SUVs in the same way.

The Tyre Extinguishers spokesperson said: “We’re doing this because politely asking for change has not worked.

“Politicians are totally unwilling to take action on polluting vehicles which are choking our lungs, destroying our climate and clogging our streets.”

Social media users have expressed mixed feelings about the activism, with many saying that vandalism is never acceptable, and others celebrating action being taken.

Pete Hazzard, a Sheffield-based Land Rover owner, said: “Unless there’s hundreds of the muppets doing it and targeting the same 4×4 over and over again, then it won’t become a big enough inconvenience to get people to change their vehicles.”

The Tyre Extinguishers spokesperson said: “We believe in collective action but there comes a point, if individuals are driving hugely polluting, totally unnecessary vehicles, that individuals have responsibility.”

In Sheffield, numerous 4X4 drivers woke up last week to find their vehicles’ tyres had been deflated overnight.

A letter was placed on the cars which were targeted, which read: “ATTENTION – your gas guzzler kills.

One of the motorists, who lives in Greystones, claimed the action was ‘unfair’ as it was wrong to be targeting people ‘when you don't know their background’.

The dad-of-three said he needed a larger vehicle to safely transport his young children.

This article originally appeared on SheffieldWire.