Activists deflate tyres of dozens of SUVs in Antwerp
The tyres of more than 45 sport utility vehicles (SUVs) in the Antwerp neighbourhood of Zurenborg have been deflated by climate activist group The Tyre Extinguishers, Gazet van Antwerpen reports. The activists say that such large, heavy cars consume more fuel and are more dangerous in accidents. Police are looking for the perpetrators.
According to Antwerp police, the tyres of at least 46 vehicles were deflated. “Our teams are still examining the situation in the various streets, so the number may still increase,” Antwerp police spokesperson Wouter Bruyns told VRT. “We call on everyone to report it.” Police will also analyse camera images to identify suspects.
The action has been claimed by international group The Tyre Extinguishers. They previously carried out similar actions in Antwerp and Ghent. They left several pamphlets in Zurenborg, calling SUVs social and ecological disasters, referring to supposed higher petrol consumption and the fact that SUVs are more dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians in the event of an accident.
Antwerp police have launched an investigation. Because deflating car tyres and do not destroying them with a knife, for example, does not cause material damage, the Ghent public prosecutor's office has previously ruled that the activists cannot be punished.
Legal experts point to the existence of Article 521 in the penal code, which states that rendering a vehicle unusable with intent to harm is punishable by 15 days to three years’ imprisonment and a fine of 50 to 500 euros.
#FlandersNewsService | Action by The Tyre Extinguishers in Berlin, Germany, April 2023 © PHOTO IMAGO/JEAN-PHILIPPE LAURENT
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