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Tire destruction in Hietzing: Climate activists react radically
In Vienna, climate extremists from the “Tyre Extingushers” group are again damaging SUVs, this time in Hietzing. Read here why the police are investigating unknown perpetrators and what the reactions are.
Tire destruction in Hietzing: Climate activists react radically
The climate activists from the group “Tyre Extingushers” have once again made a name for themselves. This time it hit off-road vehicles in Hietzing, where they became active on Tuesday night. According to a post on the X platform (formerly Twitter), the activists claimed to have flattened the tires of 50 SUVs. They published a picture of an affected black SUV with a letter of responsibility for the vehicle owner attached to its windshield.
However, the police have other information. She reported that 24 vehicles were actually affected, fewer than activists reported. Investigations are underway and the State Office for State Security and Combating Extremism has been called in to investigate the damage to property by unknown perpetrators.
This latest action has led to sharp criticism. Karl Maher, the ÖVP state party chairman, spoke out vehemently against the deliberate damage to vehicles in the name of climate protection. He sees this as a sign of the division and extremism that is allegedly being driven forward by the Green Party's policies under Minister Gewessler. “The attack on personal property owners shows the radical methods that are becoming permissible in the current climate debate,” Maher continued.
The “Tyre Extingushers” have carried out similar campaigns in the past. Last August, 25 cars were damaged in Währing, and earlier this year they reported 80 flat tires in Wiener Neustadt. The group's goals published online indicate that they are specifically targeting environmentally harmful off-road vehicles. Their website says they want to make owning large SUVs impossible in urban areas. This strategy aims to cause inconvenience to the owners of vehicles that they find “unnecessary” and harmful by releasing the air pressure from the tires.
With such actions, climate extremists intend to draw attention to the environmental consequences of SUV ownership, even if the methods involved and the impact on the drivers affected are highly controversial.
Police continue to investigate to find out who is behind these actions, as conversations about the damage caused and the ideological motivation of the perpetrators intensify. Public reactions are mixed, and it remains to be seen what consequences these developments will have for affected vehicle owners and the broader discussion about climate protection.
For more information about these incidents see the current reporting on exxpress.at.