Publication date: Aug 01, 2022 • 2 hours ago • 2 min read • 15 comments The Twitter handle for tire fire extinguishers said the Victoria action was the first from the west coast capital and was to spread to other major cities. This will include Vancouver. Photo by THE TIRE EXTINGUISHERS/ @T_EXTINGUISHERS /Twitter

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A team called The Tire Extinguishers is expected to arrive in Vancouver soon, with the goal of deflating the tires of large SUVs. According to a copy of a flyer posted on social media by Lynda Steele, protesters deflated the tires of 34 SUVs in Victoria and Oak Bay over the weekend.

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Environmental campaign group says it has slapped the tires on 34 SUVs in Victoria & Oak Bay warning ‘this is just the beginning’. It claims to be “immediate acting”. This is not going to end well if one of these activists is caught in the act. pic.twitter.com/XbTcwH4LIs — Lynda Steele 🎙🌻 (@steeletalk) August 1, 2022
The flyer was placed on the windshield of one of these SUVs. It says in part, “We have deflated one or more of your tires. You will get angry, but don’t take it personally. It’s not you. It’s your car. We did this because driving in urban areas in your huge vehicle has huge consequences for others.” The memo then lists those consequences, including the claim that SUVs pollute more than smaller vehicles, are more dangerous if they hit a pedestrian, and that SUV drivers are more likely to drive dangerously. The Tire Extinguishers Twitter handle said the Victoria action was the first from the west coast capital and was to spread to other major cities. This will include Vancouver. The group claims to be a “global environmental action group aimed at eliminating SUVs from urban areas.”

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The account also has images of operatives deflating tires. It’s been a busy year in BC for direct action to advance environmental causes. In May a group called Stop Old Growth Logging led by activist Zain Haq began blocking busy highway routes during rush hour traffic in an attempt to force the BC NDP government to suspend old growth logging. This led to multiple arrests, one protester was injured, and eventually Haq was arrested and detained by Canada Border Services Agency because he was in Canada on a student permit and had been arrested – which usually leads to deportation. Soon after, the team stated that it would no longer interfere with traffic and would focus on informing the public and hosting events. There is no word on whether Haq has been deported. The tire fire extinguisher website says volunteers should aim for “sleek/mid-range areas” and unscrew the tire valve cap and push down on the pin in the center of the valve, inserting a torch, then recap. Volunteers are asked to anonymously tip the local press to get attention. It cites Land Rover Discovery models as a prime candidate for deflation. The group was particularly active in the United Kingdom The Vancouver Police Department did not respond by deadline to say whether flat tire was a criminal offence. [email protected]

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