The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
SUV tyre attacks will go on, vows climate group
Climate campaigners have targeted Broughty Ferry in a vehicle attack, deflating the tyres of 10 cars overnight.
The Dundee branch of Tyre Extinguishers – named DunDeeFlators – says it let down the tyres of around 10 SUVs on Thursday night.
The activists claim to have deflated tyres on more than 3,000 vehicles across the UK since March.
The group claims SUVs are a “climate disaster flaunted by the wealthy” and says they make roads more dangerous.
It says its aim is to make it “impossible to own an SUV in urban areas”.
Police say inquiries are ongoing.
One Broughty Ferry woman’s Jeep Renegade was targeted. The woman, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: “My car was parked outside my house.
“It is not an SUV. It has a 1.6 [litre] engine.
“I’ve read their website and it’s alarming, urging further action on the same vehicle and giving instructions and details of which cars to target.
“If I hadn’t noticed the note, there could have been serious consequences to such irresponsible action.”
The damage happened the same week more than 30 cars had their tyres deflated in Edinburgh and 250 in Brighton and Hove.
The Tyre Extinguishers wants to see bans on SUVs in urban areas and pollution levies to tax SUVs “out of existence”.
It is also demanding a large investment in free public transport and says action will continue until politicians act on its demands.
The group says similar actions have taken place across the UK, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Arizona, Colorado and New Zealand.
Marion Walker, of Tyre Extinguishers, said: “This can happen anywhere.
“If you own an SUV, chances are you’re going to wake up soon with lentils in your tyres. We won’t stop until these death machines are history.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Officers received reports of tyres being deliberately deflated on a number of vehicles in the Broughty Ferry area on Friday May 13. Inquiries are ongoing.”