UK
Wimbledon school crash: Tyres ‘destroyed’ at Exeter Land Rover dealership in ‘retaliation’ over deaths
Tyres on at least 60 vehicles at a Land Rover dealership in Exeter have been ruined in retaliation over a crash in Wimbledon that killed two eight-year-old girls.
The group, known as the Tyre Extinguishers, posted a video online appearing to show someone with a drill at the Devon garage.
It comes after Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau were killed when a Land Rover smashed through a fence into their school, The Study Prep, in Wimbledon on 6 July.
A number of others were injured.
A 46-year-old woman from Wimbledon was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, and has since been bailed.
Tyre Extinguishers said in a statement: “Tyre Extinguishers destroyed all the tyres on at least 60 vehicles at Jaguar Exeter, Matford Way.
“SUVs are eight times more likely to kill children in crashes than smaller cars.
“This act of retaliation is intended as a peaceful and non-violent demonstration to draw attention to the presence of grossly-inappropriate private vehicles in our towns and cities.”
It added: “Tyre Extinguishers firmly believes that their action is a necessary escalation to try and stop these vehicles from wrecking further lives and continuing to push the worsening climate crisis off the cliff edge.
“The group hopes that this action will serve as a wake-up call for all stakeholders to unite in their efforts to prevent future tragedies and make our roads safer for everyone.”
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Devon and Cornwall Police said it is “aware of criminal damage having occurred” and “inquiries continue”.
A spokesman for Vertu Motors, which owns Jaguar Exeter, said: “Trespass and damage to private property are not acceptable. The matter is now in the hands of the police.”
Tyre Extinguishers, which began its action in 2022, aims to “make it impossible” to own an SUV in urban areas, calling the vehicles “a climate disaster”, “dangerous” and “unnecessary”.
The group also calls electric and hybrid SUVs “fair game”, arguing there are “not enough rare earth metals” to replace all cars with them, and “the danger to other road users still stands”.