Activists slash Land Rover showroom tyres in 'retaliation' for Wimbledon crash

07 August 2023 , 14:58

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A woman crashed into The Study Prep school with her Land Rover last month (Image: PA)

A climate action group has "destroyed" tyres on at least 60 vehicles at a Land Rover dealership in response to a recent crash which killed two schoolgirls in Wimbledon.

The group, called Tyre Extinguishers, posted footage online of what appeared to show someone with a drill at the venue in Devon. It comes after Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau were tragically named as the victims of a crash in Wimbledon, south west London.

On July 6, a Land Rover smashed through a fence at the girls school named The Study Prep, which caused multiple injuries. A woman, aged 46, from the area, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. She has since been bailed. A local, who lives 50 yards from the school, previously said: “It’s a narrow street and there are hundreds of people dropping off their children every day. Still, I never thought it would end like this.”

Another person said at the time: "It was terrifying - everyone was panicking. It’s shocking that something like this has happened in a quiet corner of Wimbledon.”

Selena Lau was tragically killed in the crash (PA)

Nuria Sajjad sadly died after the car crashed into the school fence (PA)

Tyre Extinguishers launched its campaign to prevent people from owning SUV's in urban areas in 2022 and labelled the vehicle as a "climate disaster", reports Sky News. In a statement on Twitter, Tyre Extinguishers said: "Tyre Extinguishers destroyed all the tyres on at least 60 vehicles at Jaguar Exeter, Matford Way.

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"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 continued: "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."

Devon and Cornwall Police have since confirmed that they are "aware of criminal damage having occurred." A spokesman for Vertu Motors, which owns Jaguar Exeter, commented: "Trespass and damage to private property are not acceptable. The matter is now in the hands of the police."

Monica Charsley