The international group called Tire Extinguishers is trying to draw attention to the pollution caused by larger vehicles. In the past few days, the group claims to have hit 34 SUVs in Victoria and Oak Bay and other vehicles in Kitchener, Ont., and according to social media, is now eyeing Vancouver. The Victoria Police Department has opened a file on the environmental action and so far one person in the city has lodged a complaint with the police. Oak Bay police have received eight complaints of flat tires.
Read more: Climate activists deflate tires on 34 SUVs in regional Victoria
Story continues below ad No arrests have been made yet, but Oak Bay police have released a description of a possible suspect. He is described as thin in his early 20s with light brown hair. He was seen driving away in a light blue car. The tires are believed to have deflated in the early hours of July 29. Criminal lawyer Sarah Leamon warns that anyone caught deflating tires could face serious charges depending on whether anyone is injured and how the Crown proceeds. “I think the most obvious charge they could face would be a disorderly conduct charge,” Leamon said. “Disorderly conduct can be a very serious charge if the Crown decides to proceed by indictment, which would increase the sentence and even put jail time on the table.” Leamon says if someone fails to check their tires before retiring and crashes as a result, that could force the Crown to seek a stiffer penalty. “I think where you put public health or safety at risk, then there could be an opportunity for the Crown to decide to proceed with an indictment.” Trending Stories
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2:06 Dozens of tires deflated as environmental activist group takes action Dozens of tires deflated as environmental activist group takes action
Leaflets left in vehicles explain how SUVs cause more pollution than smaller cars. Their website details how hybrid and electric cars are fair game. Full size cars, commercial vehicles and cars used for disabled people should be avoided. Story continues below ad But who is using the car is not easy to distinguish. In San Francisco, a victim who started driving before realizing she had a flat tire uses his SUV to transport disabled youth to sporting events. In England, a trauma surgeon was trying to get to work.
Read more: ‘Gas is killing you’: Environmental group says deflated tires on Kitchener SUVs
In Victoria, Bob Kennedy’s daughter’s SUV was targeted Friday morning and he said he noticed the tires were deflated before driving off with the flat tire. “What I was really concerned about is that she’s in her ninth month of pregnancy, which would leave her without a vehicle in the middle of the night if she really needed to,” Kennedy told Mike Smyth on CKNW’s Mike Smyth Show. “I can’t understand why they would do such things.” 0:23 Save Old Growth protest briefly blocks traffic on Stanley Park Causeway Save Old Growth protest briefly blocks traffic on Stanley Park Causeway This latest environmental protest comes on the heels of groups like Save Old Growth blocking traffic and vandalizing popular landmarks to draw attention to and stop the logging of old growth in BC. Story continues below ad
Read more: Old growth protesters spray paint B.C. landmarks
“I think it’s very unfortunate that these groups are suing for these kinds of dangerous, frankly, tactics to get their point across when their issue is legitimate,” Leamon said. “But I think by engaging in these kinds of absurd tactics, they’re alienating a large part of the population.” © 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
