Radical climate-change protesters took to the streets in the San Francisco Bay Area this month and destroyed people’s property.
According to SFGate, a group calling itself “The Tyre Extinguishers” deflated the tires of “several Bay Area drivers” overnight on July 5.
When these vehicle owners woke up, they found their deflated tires, along with a note from the destructive group.
“ATTENTION – Your gas guzzler kills,”the note said. “We have deflated one or more of your tires. 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.”
The group said it had taken matters into its own hands because it was unsatisfied with actions taken by politicians in relation to SUVs.
“We need emergency action to reduce emissions immediately,” the note continued. “We’re taking actions into our own hands because our governments and politicians will not.”
According to its website, the group specifically targets SUVs and other larger vehicles, which it feels are creating a dire situation for humanity.
“Deflating tyres repeatedly and encouraging others to do the same will turn the minor inconvenience of a flat tyre into a giant obstacle for driving massive killer vehicles around our streets,” the website said.
Should people who deflate tires be prosecuted?
The Tyre Extinguishers started in the UK, but it has made its way to the United States in recent weeks, SFGate reported. Similar attacks have been reported in Chicago, New York City, and Scranton, Pennsylvania.
In an email to SF Gate, Tyre Extinguishers spokesperson Marion Walker said the most recent attack was “the first of many” in the Bay Area.
Walker said the group acts without knowledge of other members, meaning it can strike at any time.
“We have no leader – anyone can take part, wherever you are, using the simple instructions on this website,” Tyre Extinguishers said on its website.
The website also includes step-by-step instructions for carrying out the group’s mission, including a detailed explanation of the deflation process, which begins with unscrewing the cap on the tire valve.
“To get the air out of the tyre, there must be something pushing down on the pin located in the center of the valve,” the website said. “Drop a small bean (we like green lentils, but you can experiment with couscous, bits of gravel, etc) inside the valve cap.
“Replace the cap, screwing it on with a few turns until you hear air hissing out. Even if it’s only hissing out a little bit, that’s enough – it will deflate slowly. The whole process should take about 10 seconds.”
Following these actions, protesters are instructed to leave the same note found on the cars in the Bay Area. They are also encouraged to speak anonymously to the press about the reasoning for their destruction.
Lt. Katie Cardona of the Vacaville, California Police Department said one person reported a tire on a Honda Pilot SUV being deflated overnight on July 5.
“We are aware that there are reports of additional tire deflations on social media, but those have not been reported to us,” Cardona told SFGate.
She said police are investigating the first reported case as a vehicle tampering incident, which qualifies as a misdemeanor carrying a maximum sentence of one year in jail and a maximum fine of $1,000.
