More than 20 large cars have been targeted by environmental protesters in Edinburgh with graffiti and posters to make them less attractive to potential consumers.
The Tyre Extinguishers protest group unleashed its second action of November by targeting 20 SUVs in Edinburgh’s New Town to protest the use of larger vehicles.
SUVs around the area were “decorated” with climate and SUV crash victims on posters and graffiti with “mock surveys”, with the public being encouraged to “get involved”.
Slogans including “These cars kill kids”, “These cars kill Valencians” and “These cars kill” were seen on the bonnet and doors of the SUVs.
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Locals were encouraged by the protesters to get involved with voting on whether SUVs should be banned
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Notes were also left showing images of Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau, who were killed by an out-of-control SUV while at school in Wimbledon last year.
While the Crown Prosecution Service announced that charges would not be filed against the woman driving the SUV because of an epileptic seizure, the case has since been reopened following mass public backlash.
Other notes saw the Tyre Extinguishers reference the deaths of Izan and Rubén Matias, aged five and three, who were swept out of their father’s arms by floodwaters in the Spanish city of Valencia earlier this month.
One protester, Luke, said: “We think it’s well past time for a public debate about these monsters taking over our streets.”
The Tyre Extinguishers made reference to the devastating floods in Valencia which killed 216 people
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“As Valencians, Floridians and Brazilians continue to grapple with the cost of this year’s extreme weather, leaders at COP29 make only dirty deals and empty promises.
“Every single two-tonne street tank owner is sending a message they don’t care about the damage they’re causing. Time to hold them to account.”
He warned that if the “spineless politicians” would not take meaningful action against emitters, then the Tyre Extinguishers would.
The protester also noted that SUVs were having a huge impact across the world, not just in Edinburgh, pointing to research from the International Energy Agency (IEA).
The Tyre Extinguishers have consistently targeted larger vehicles across Europe
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The protest group also deflates tyres of the larger vehicles
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Data shows that if SUVs were a country, they would be the world’s fifth largest emitter of CO2, falling behind China, the United States, India and Russia.
More than one in four cars on the road worldwide are SUVs, with most of these either being petrol or diesel. It is estimated that only five per cent of SUVs are electric.
Earlier this month, 50 SUVs in Vienna were targeted by having their tyres deflated with the group stating that they want to impact opinions of SUVs and prevent them from choosing them as their next vehicle.
It also praised new legislation being tabled in France to give cities the power to ban heavy vehicles, especially in urban areas.
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Action has been taking place across Europe over the last month
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Support for new measures has grown since the death of Paul Varry, a 27-year-old cyclist, who was crushed by an SUV in Paris last month.
The French capital of Paris has already taken steps to make SUVs less attractive to consumers, including massively hiking parking prices for owners.
