Climate activists vandalized cars in Lucerne

Published26. April 2024, 4:35 p.m.

Climate activists deflated the tires of around fifteen vehicles on Thursday. Victims received a letter on their windshield.

It was a rude awakening for fifteen Lucerne drivers on Thursday morning. The reason? Their cars were targeted by climate activists, called “The Tire Extinguishers”. Their misdeed accomplished, the activists then left leaflets on the windshields of the vandalized cars.

While they have deliberately targeted Jeeps, BMWs and Mercedes, they believe that “SUVs and all-terrain vehicles are a disaster for our health, our public safety and our climate.” By this action, they want them to be banned from purchase. “We are deflating the tires of these huge and unnecessary vehicles in order to cause inconvenience and expense to their owners.”

“With such an action, they are putting people in danger,” thundered a passerby, noting that one driver concerned had already driven off without realizing that his two tires were punctured. The latter considers herself lucky, because her car was parked on a parallel street. She reported the incident to the police, who have not yet identified the perpetrators.

Other militant actions against the automobile sector took place, notably in French-speaking Switzerland. In mid-April, activists from the Liberate Switzerland movement notably covered Audis with orange powder at a Berne dealership. Three days earlier, activists from the same movement covered the Porsche Center in Crissier with orange paint, echoing the condemnation of Switzerland by the ECHR for its climate inaction.