A new way of protesting against climate change is making its way in Barcelona. This is 'The Tire Extinguishers' (the tire extinguishers), a group of activists who dedicate themselves to deflating and puncturing the wheels of private cars so that they cannot circulate and thus reduce their impact on emissions.
This group began to act at the beginning of 2022 in different locations throughout Europe and has now arrived in Barcelona. Yesterday morning, several cars parked in the Sarrià neighborhood appeared with one or more flat tires.
The group has claimed responsibility for the action and has ensured that this is only the beginning. “Unarmed SUVs in the elegant area of Sarrià. Good job! This is the first action in Barcelona, the first of many!", they have published on their social networks. In the same statement, the group has warned that Barcelona "already has one of the worst air pollution in Europe".
'The Tire Extinguishers' focus on the most polluting vehicles, such as 4x4s or SUVs, located in neighborhoods with a high standard of living. In addition, after each action, the collective leaves a protest message on the windshields with the aim of "making it clear that this car is a problem for the planet." In the case of Barcelona, these messages are written entirely in Catalan.
The group of activists has published a manifesto on their social networks in which they detail their objectives. In it, they assure that they are "people from all walks of life" who defend themselves against "climate change, air pollution and unsafe drivers." In addition, they also explain that their goal is to make it "impossible to own a huge and polluting SUV or SUV in urban areas" and share a video with instructions on how to deflate a tire with the help of something as simple as a lentil.
As they explain, the seeds of this legume are the ideal size to fit into the inlet of the tire valve. When you put one on the inlet cap and screw it back on, air slowly escapes from the tire.
In the same manifesto, 'The Tire Extinguishers' acknowledge the "inconvenience" to vehicle owners they cause with their "simple tactic", but encourage others "to do the same" against cars they consider "mass killers". .
In recent weeks, the collective has claimed actions across Europe. This Thursday they celebrated having deflated the tires of 50 SUVs in Berlin and another 43 vehicles in Potsdam. Other European cities such as Bristol in the United Kingdom or Copenhagen in Denmark have also been the scene of their particular and aggressive way of protesting.
In fact, on their website there is a link to their Telegram channel, where they report on their actions, mainly in Europe, but also in the United States.
