Eco mob target 4x4s, leaving 30 with flat tyres

PROTESTERS who deflated the tyres of more than 30 vehicles are being hunted by police.

Activist group The Tyre Extinguishers claimed responsibility for actively ‘disarming’ vehicles in the seaside suburb of Portobello, Edinburgh in the early hours of yesterday.

The group specifically targets SUVs and other large 4x4s which they claim damage the environment.

After letting the air from the tyres, the group leaves flyers tucked under cars’ windscreen wipers attempting to justify their actions.

One Portobello man, who wanted to be known only as Sam, told the Mail that the people involved in this are ‘eco fascists’ after they let the air out of one of his tyres.

Sam, who works as a civil engineer, said: ‘I need a vehicle with a decent-sized engine for towing building and waste materials, sometimes to remote places in bad weather.

‘You can’t do that on public transport. Regardless, I should not need to justify my choice of vehicle. It’s a lot of misplaced baseless rhetoric and they would be better spending their time rallying against the big polluters like China’s coal-fired power stations.

‘SUVs are negligible contributors to climate change compared to that. They are very righteous imposing their views by sabotaging vehicles. They are not eco warriors, they are eco fascists.’

On a local Facebook group other locals said they had been targeted by the group without owning either a 4x4 or a SUV.

Neil Morrison posted: ‘Just been out to check and I see a load of cars in Pittville St have been done, including my own which incidentally is not a 4x4 and is by far the most fuel-efficient car I’ve ever owned, regularly achieving almost 60 mpg. These people are morons.’

Following the incident, the eco warriors then bragged about their action on social media.

Their Twitter post said: ‘Tyre Extinguishers disarmed 30+ SUVs in the Edinburgh, Scotland, seaside suburb of Portobello, just metres from the local police station. Edinburgh Tyre Extinguishers warned newlyelected Edinburgh City Council politicians – take real climate action, or we’ll take it for you.’

The handout 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 huge consequences for others.

‘SUVs and 4x4s are a disaster for our climate.

‘SUVs are the second-largest cause of the global rise in carbon dioxide emissions over the past decade – more than the entire aviation industry.

‘You will have no difficulty get

‘They are eco fascists’ ‘Disaster for our climate’

ting around without your gas guzzler, with walking, cycling or public transport.’

Their website states their aim is to ‘make it impossible to own a 4x4’ and provides advice on how to deflate the tyres.

An Edinburgh Tyre Extinguishers spokesman said: ‘Edinburgh’s politicians have been elected with promises to take action on climate, air pollution and road safety.

‘But their plans go nowhere near far enough.’

A spokesman for Police Scotland said: ‘Police Scotland has been made aware of the incident. Inquiries are ongoing at this stage.’