Extinction Rebellion splinter group 'Tyre Extinguishers' wanted for deflating tyres across south of England

Extinction Rebellion splinter group 'Tyre Extinguishers' wanted for deflating tyres across south of England
tyre gang
Samantha Haynes

By Samantha Haynes


Published: 29/03/2022

- 17:37

Updated: 14/02/2023

- 11:56

Sussex Police are appealing for information after the group claimed to have deflated more than 1,000 tyres

Sussex Police have issued CCTV of two climate activists appearing to deflate tyres of SUVs in the south of England.

The suspects belong to a splinter group of Extinction Rebellion called the Tyre Extinguishers.


The group are campaigning to ban SUVs in urban areas and say they have deflated the tyres of more than a thousand of the vehicles in the UK.

Sussex Police has received 54 reports of vehicles having had their tyres deflated.

The alleged tyre-slashers where shown on CCTV entering Bernard Road from Hartington Road in Brighton at around 3.40am.

CCTV of the two suspects
CCTV of the two suspects
Sussex Police

The group is typically active in the early hours of the morning and leave a note on the windscreen of the four-wheel drive, telling the driver “not to take it personally”.

The Tyre Extinguishers said they wanted to "make it impossible to own an SUV in the UK's urban areas" and write on their website “SUV drivers tend to be richer and therefore tend to be white”.

The eco-warriors explained their motivation to take the action: "Governments and politicians have failed to protect us from these huge vehicles. Everyone hates them, apart from the people who drive them."

Sussex Police said: "Police would like to speak to these two people in connection with a number if vehicles having their tyres deflated in Brighton and Hove."

Insp Nicky Stuart, of Brighton & Hove's neighbourhood policing team, said: "I would like to reassure the public our officers are working round the clock to catch those responsible.

"This type of behaviour will absolutely not be tolerated in Brighton & Hove and while we have seen a marked drop in the number of incidents, any such occurrences are unacceptable."

This comes after a mum has admitted using her Range Rover to try to move an Insulate Britain protester who was blocking the road while she was on the school run.

Sherrilyn Speid, 35, of Grays, Essex, pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving when she appeared at Southend Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

She had been at the wheel of her black Range Rover Sport when she came across an Insulate Britain protest in Grays at about 8.30am on October 13 2021.

The scene was caught on camera by a passer-by and heavily-bleeped footage was shown in court.

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