The tyres were punctured by the Tyre Extinguishers, an environmental activist group.
Brno, Apr 26 (BD) – On Monday evening, environmental activists punctured the tyres of several dozen sports utility vehicles (SUVs) in Brno. Police began receiving reports of punctured tyres on Tuesday morning. Since then, police have discovered more than 20 cars with flat tyres, mainly in the Černá Pole district.
The tyres were punctured by the Tyre Extinguishers, an environmental activist group. According to the group, 46 cars were damaged in this way on Monday and Tuesday.
SUVs have been widely criticised by campaigners for their poor fuel efficiency, significant contribution to pollution and climate change, and the dangers of driving such large vehicles in urban environments.
The activists left leaflets behind the windscreen wipers with the following text:
“Be careful, your fuel guzzler is deadly. We have deflated one or more tyres of your car. We understand that you are angry now, but it is not your fault, but your car’s fault. Driving such a big car has a huge impact on everyone else.”
The group also announced its action on Twitter, highlighting a 2020 incident in which a 19-month old girl was killed by an SUV driver with limited vision because of the size of her car. The driver received only a suspended sentence.
NEW ACTION: BRNO, CZECHIA
"We disarmed 46 SUVs last evening in Brno. Brno has its problems with cars. In 2020, an SUV driver ran over a 19-month-old girl because she did not see her from her giant car. The driver got away with a suspended sentence." pic.twitter.com/3MUTCp6TF7— The Tyre Extinguishers (@T_Extinguishers) April 25, 2023
The activists also highlighted the minimal construction of separate cycle paths, and attacked the council’s record on public transport. “Painted cycle paths are dangerous, cars usually don’t blink and the city police do not deal with it. The mayor claims the local public transport is ‘the best in Europe’, yet, her administration has been cancelling lines and the intervals are still not back to pre-COVID levels. All of this means that people are motivated to keep using cars, including SUVs.”
Vandalism of this type is considered a crime by the police. Police officers are investigating the punctures in cooperation with the state police.
“In this case, it may be an offence against civil coexistence, where in administrative proceedings the culprit may receive a fine of up to CZK 20,000, though it always depends on the assessment,” said city police spokesman Jakub Ghanem, speaking to Novinky.cz.
Actions of this kind could also be considered a criminal offence in the event of more serious damage to expensive wheels, or if the owner only discovers the problem after a long time and repairs are therefore more expensive.
