Activists of the 'Tyre Extinguishers' group have once again deflated the tyres of several Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs), this time in two Antwerp districts, as part of their battle against large vehicles in urban environments.
The owners of at least 46 affected 4x4s and SUVs – both larger and heavier vehicles – parked in Antwerp's Zurenborg and Groen Kwartier districts were in for a shock when arriving at their car on Friday, as these motors are the primary target of 'Tyre Extinguishers' militants. Several activists deflated the tyres of several dozen such cars in these neighbourhoods, leaving behind a note to explain their action.
"We have deflated one or more of your tyres. You may be angry but don't take it personally. It's not you, it's your car." The letter continues by stating that driving around in residential areas with large cars has many negative consequences for other people.
Traffic safety institute Vias warned that such vehicles pose a much bigger risk to people in smaller cars, pedestrians and cyclists. The so-called "gas guzzlers" are also often more polluting than smaller vehicles and occupy more street space. With this action, the collective aims to raise public awareness about this social and environmental damage.
Legal grey area
Antwerp police made a tally of the number of affected vehicles on Friday morning, and called on those affected to report such incidents. The police will also analyse camera images to identify suspects, and launch investigations into perpetrators.
However, activists don't damage the vehicles: they deflate car tyres rather than slashing them. This makes legal challenges more complex: the Ghent Public Prosecutor's Office, for example, ruled earlier this year that activists cannot be punished because of this. Legal experts do point to Article 521 in the Criminal 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.
Similar actions were conducted in March and October last year, as well as in February, March, April and June of this year.
A more legal course of action against large vehicles was taken in Paris earlier this year, when residents voted for a new regulation against the presence of these cars in the city. The new law will make parking fees three times more expensive for large, heavy vehicles such as SUVs. Brussels is also in the process of carrying out a study to identify possible scenarios for combatting the rising number of such cars.
