Edinburgh activists target SUVs in solidarity with Spain’s flood victims

Tyre Extinguishers group stencils ‘These cars kill Valencians’ on 4x4s in city to highlight SUVs’ role in climate crisis

Climate activists in Scotland have carried out a series of actions against SUV cars, saying they are acting in solidarity with the victims of the Valencia floods.

The Tyre Extinguishers have called on their supporters to take actions against SUV cars in their areas, after members of the group in Edinburgh stencilled the sides of targeted vehicles on Sunday night with the words: “These cars kill Valencians.”

At least 214 people have been reported killed in Valencia and surrounding areas after unprecedented rainfall last week caused flooding that swept away bridges, cars and streetlights. Global heating made the heavy rainfall about 12% heavier and twice as likely, according to an initial estimate carried out by scientists from World Weather Attribution.

The flooding has been described as the worst natural disaster in recent Spanish history.

Posting pictures of the Edinburgh actions on their account on X, the Tyre Extinguishers said: “SUVs targeted in solidarity with Valencia climate victims.

“Outraged Edinburgh residents took action last night highlighting SUV’s [sic] disproportionate role in causing catastrophic weather, like that which has killed over 200 in Spain.

“If SUVs were a country they’d be the 5th biggest world polluter. There were over 360m SUVs on world roads in 2023, producing 1bn tonnes of CO2, up 10% on 2022. As a result, global oil consumption rose by 600,000 barrels/day, more than a quarter of total oil demand growth.

“Protestors defaced SUVs throughout Edinburgh’s New Town, and left windscreens with images of victims like José Castillejo, 28, who died in the Valencia floods, and Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau, who were killed last year when an out-of-control Land Rover hit their primary school.

“We call on all TX groups to take solidarity actions on behalf of climate victims. We won’t stop until these death machines are off our roads.”

The Tyre Extinguishers quoted an activist named as Priya, who was said to have taken part in the Edinburgh actions, as saying: “We hit 16 cars last night, and more planned … Not enough is being done to highlight that disasters like Valencia have human causes. This is not a natural disaster, it’s a disaster fuelled by our governments being enslaved by the fossil fuel and car lobbies.

“We need emergency action now to bring an end to SUV emissions, and if governments don’t do it, then it’s up to citizens to do it for them.”

Police Scotland was unable to give any information about whether the incidents had been reported or an investigation was under way without more specific details of the locations of the targeted vehicles.

Water-soluble spray chalk was used to deface the cars, the Guardian has been told.

Cover photo: One of the vehicles targeted by Tyre Extinguishers in Edinburgh. Photograph: The Tyre Extinguishers/X