Climate activist group Tyre Extinguishers ends SUV tyre deflation campaign

The climate vigilante group Tyre Extinguishers has announced it is ending its campaign after nearly five years of action, the Daily Mail reported. Activists targeted sport utility vehicles in urban areas by deflating their tyres in the dead of night. The group stated its final tyre has now been flattened. [1]

Activists involved in the campaign targeted vehicles including Range Rovers, Mazdas, and Volkswagens in suburban areas, according to the Daily Mail. Crusaders from the group deflated more than 5,000 tyres across 22 countries. The group said its main goal was to make it impossible to own a 4x4 in urban areas and urged a ban on SUVs in cities. [1]

The Tyre Extinguishers movement began in the United Kingdom in early March 2022 as a decentralized climate activist initiative focused on deflating tyres on SUVs. The first actions were reported on March 7, 2022, in cities including London, Bristol, and Manchester. Participants described driving an SUV as among the worst actions for climate impacts and public safety. [2][5]

A sport utility vehicle combines elements of passenger cars with features from off-road vehicles, such as raised ground clearance and four-wheel drive. Activists argued that SUVs have a disproportionately large impact on climate change relative to other vehicles, while also worsening air pollution. [2][4]