NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A group of climate activists claimed responsibility for deflating the tires of 52 SUVs in DUMBO and Brooklyn Heights late Monday night and early Tuesday morning.
The deflations were part of a global, coordinated deflation campaign that hit almost 900 SUVs across eight countries and 19 cities, according to the activists.
The Tyre Extinguishers (or Tire Extinguishers for American cells) are a decentralized group of climate activists who wedge small beans or pebbles in the tire valve of SUVs parked in affluent areas.
They leave leaflets on the windshields of targeted vehicles decrying the climate impact, air pollution and danger to pedestrians caused by SUVs.
Police confirmed the NYPD received three complaints of deflated tires accompanied by pamphlets in the purported area of the strike.
The group hit cities in the Netherlands, France, Germany, the U.K., Sweden, Austria, Switzerland and the U.S.
Activists in New York carried out a similar action on June 29, hitting 40 vehicles on the Upper East Side.
The group is advocating for bans on SUVs in urban areas, pollution taxes on SUVs and investment in public transit.
“We want to show that anyone, everywhere, can take climate action to end the dominance of massive cars in the world’s cities,” wrote the group in a statement. “All they need is a leaflet and a lentil! Our movement will continue to grow — once the idea is out there, it can’t be stopped.”
An International Energy Agency study found that, from 2010 to 2018, SUVs accounted for the second largest rise in emissions globally, with an increase of 544 million tons of CO2 emitted over the course of that period.
The largest driver of rising CO2 emissions was the power sector, with an increase of more than 1.4 billion tons.
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