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Activists deflate tyres of 100 4x4s in Manchester area

Greenie | 23.05.2009 11:51 | Climate Chaos | Ecology | Energy Crisis

Eco-activists are suspected of letting down the tyres on over 100 4x4 SUVs (Sports Utility Vehicles) in the South Manchester area. Leaflets have been left on the windscreens accusing the owners of damaging the environment.

Eco-activists are suspected of letting down the tyres on over 100 4x4 SUVs in the South Manchester area. Leaflets have been left on the windscreens saying:
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Given the threat of climate change and the government's inaction, direct action such as this is, unfortunately, necessary. Large SUV's emit substantially more greenhouse gases.

Road accident victims are six times more likely to die if hit by a 4x4 rather than a smaller car. This is not an attack on you as a person, nor is it an attack on your right to own a car. This is an attack on your choice of car, given the above concerns.
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According to some reports (deliberate misinformation?) tyres were slashed but other reports say they were only let down. The cops are reported as saying this is criminal - is it a criminal offence to deflate a tyre as long as no damage is done?

Links to reports on this story:

 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1186388/4x4-backlash-Owners-100-Chelsea-Tractors-tyres-slashed-environmental-activists.html
 http://manchesterclimatefortnightly.blogspot.com/2009/05/more-suv-tyre-deflating-in-south.html
 http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1116770_ecovandals_attack_cars?rss=yes

Greenie

Comments

Hide the following 14 comments

Vehicle interference

23.05.2009 12:26

S.22A road traffic act seems the most probable charge if any, but doubt the "dangerous" act requirement of that section would be fulfilled by the time it reached court. Far more likely is that they will arrest for the benefit of the intelligence, and then release without charge or offer a caution.

Chris


eco warriors

23.05.2009 13:33

next time burn them ..... E.L.F

brutus


w00t

23.05.2009 16:18

Go go go!

anon


Not sure

23.05.2009 19:04

I'm not sure how easy it would be to deflate a tyre without slashing it or chopping off the valve? I think it would still be criminal damage anyway, as anything that takes effort to rectify is covered.

Wonder if they got the sabs landrover lol ;-)

Roger


Like it

23.05.2009 19:22

Top action, nice one.

Happy


nice one?

24.05.2009 00:27

You've just justified the placement of a whole load of street surveilance cameras.
No wonder britain is becoming like big brother, its because of stupid actions like this.

max


@ max

24.05.2009 01:51

If you have a better idea of how people can vent their frustration towards the ignorance and narcissism of Urban 4x4 owners then why not share it? I've got far more respect for the people that carried out this action than for whining naysayers like you.

As for your point about CCTV - should we not carry out any direct action because they might install more cameras - like there's not hundreds in every city anyway? This is exactly how the ruling class wants you to think: in fear. If you're angry about 'big brother' why not go smash up some cameras because, as in this case, that's the only way they'll get the message.


Wake Up : Organise.

anon


cop hate

25.05.2009 00:09

lets destroy cars...lets pick on pig cars, SUV's, council transport, the mayors convoy, all the fucking polluting machines, lets fucking destroy them!!!!!
fucking moaning little twits like max, above, they are best left to tend to the wounded than actually fight on the front line.........
oh well, there's always militants to rely on.....
good action in south manchester. might copy it here in nottingham.
bye.

leds
mail e-mail: cophaternumber1@live.com


Doh!

25.05.2009 12:03

Why oh why oh why did it not cross your tiny minds that this action may result in a hundred recovery/repair vehicles being called out to deal with the flat tyres thus resulting in more pollution.......

The RAC


doh!

25.05.2009 13:41

>> Why oh why oh....

reminds me of the story a friend who works at eon told me: A protestor handcuffed themselves to one of the 3 conveyor hopper thats moved the fuel from the lorries into the plants, thus closing it down. But it turned out that it was the biofuel one, so the staff ended up having to put more coal on the other two to keep the plant going!

Wonder how many extra tons of carbon footprinting that produced?
Not their finest moment by all accounts.

ripe


@doh

25.05.2009 23:38

anything can be looked at in either a positive or a negative light depending on your particular point of view. If one larger truck being called out, inconveniencing and worrying the suv driver enough to consider getting rid in case they become a target for further actions, is that not worth the extra emissions as a one off? It's about balance on a larger scale in a world where noone listens to anything anymore if it doesn't directly affect their life.

JimDog*


no point at all

26.05.2009 18:04

I don't think point of view has anything to do with it. Its negative full stop.

One larger truck called out for 100 vehicles!? I think you'll being a bit optimistic if you believe that is all. Try lots of trucks. Lots of police cars. Lots of public money that could've been spent on better things like tracking down pedophiles and thieves.

And for what? Obviously - absolutely nothing apart from satisfying a few people's egos

essexy


Really?

28.05.2009 15:52

Did anyone ever stop to think why these people owned 4x4s? I know that some of them will be totally pointless but what about mountain rescue? Farmers? People who need them for there work?

We have two 4x4s in my family the one is to collect sustainable wood for my grandparents that are in there 80s and would die without this vehicle the other is a organic veg farm hands vehicle. Both of which live in urban areas but both totally nesssasary and both giving off lower emitions than your average estate car or van. I bet the people letting these tires down didn't think about what distress they could cause doing this or pause to check the emition rates of all 4x4s.

By all means flyer these cars and try to change peoples opinions that have them but don't asume that they are all useless and not needed.

Acts like these don't change opinions they just make people more determined to do what they want.

Betty