Eco-Warrior ‘Tyre Extinguishers’ Claim Responsibility for Vandalizing SUV’s on Boston’s Ultra-Rich Beacon Hill

‘We did this because driving around urban areas in your massive vehicle has huge consequences for others,’ the group says.

Via Wikimedia Commons
Boston's Beacon Hill neighborhood. Via Wikimedia Commons

An extremist environmental group is claiming responsibility for deflating the tires of dozens of cars at Boston’s exclusive and extremely wealthy Beacon Hill neighborhood Wednesday night, copying a similar incident from London last spring.

The group claiming responsibility, Tyre Extinguishers, said that they deflated the tires of 43 luxury SUVs “to render the large greenhouse gas emitting vehicles unusable, directly preventing the outpouring of emission from vehicles into our atmosphere.”

The group reportedly deflates tires by dropping a lentil into the stem cap and screwing the cap back on, slowly allowing air out of the tires.

“Only large, luxury, gas powered SUVs were targeted by the group; no tires were deflated on electric or hybrid vehicles nor any vehicles with handicap signage,” the group said. “The group left leaflets on the cars to inform the owners about why their vehicle was impacted.”

The leaflet in question read “your gas guzzler kills.” According to the Boston Police Department at least one driver claims to have missed a medical appointment because of the incident.

The group claims to be a “global activist movement” with members in 15 countries who have deflated more than 10,000 tires around the world since March 2022.

The group first gained attention last year, when they deflated tires in wealthy London and New York neighborhoods.

“You’ll be angry. but don’t take it personally. It’s not you, it’s your car,” read the group’s note from last year. “We did this because driving around urban areas in your massive vehicle has huge consequences for others.”

The group also argues that hybrid and electric vehicles are similarly problematic to gas powered cars, because they are “still polluting, dangerous and cause congestion.” However, they did not target electric or hybrid vehicles in their most recent deflations in Boston.

Beacon Hill, known for its federal-style townhouses and wrought iron gas lamps, is home to the former secretary of state, John Kerry, and his wife, Teresa Heinz of the Heinz ketchup fortune.

The extremely wealthy neighborhood, steeped in history, was also home to John Hancock and other historic and literary figures such as Louisa May Alcott, Daniel Webster, John Cheever, and Sylvia Plath.


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