Edinburgh Crime: Climate activists deflate tires in Edinburgh’s New Town, claiming SUVs are ‘luxury emissions’ flaunted by the wealthy

The group, the Tire Extinguishers, say SUVs are a ‘climate disaster’ that cause air pollution and make our roads unsafe, calling them unnecessary ‘luxury emissions’ that are flaunted by the wealthy.

They rammed a number of vehicles in the New Town on Sunday night, deflating tires and leaving branded leaflets explaining to the owner why they were being targeted.

The group said they had found so many SUVs in the area that they were out of leaflets and “would be back”.

Police Scotland confirmed they had received a number of reports relating to the incidents overnight.

A spokesperson said: “Officers received reports of tires on a number of deliberately deflated vehicles in the New Town area of ​​Edinburgh on Monday April 11.

“Investigations are ongoing.”

Climate campaigners want to see SUVs banned in urban areas, pollution taxes to “tax SUVs out of existence” and investment in public transport. The group said that until politicians make these demands a reality, it will continue its actions targeting vehicles in urban spaces.

A spokesman for Edinburgh Tire Extinguishers said: ‘Wealthy people in the New Town live in the center of a city with good cheap public transport. They don’t need to drive these polluting death machines.

“They only exist to flaunt their wealth.”

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