A recent article in Great Britain’s far leftist The Guardian pronounces “‘A New Phase’: Why Climate Activists are Turning to Sabotage Instead of Protest.”
Not a New Phenomenon
With apologies to The Guardian, the paper might need to purchase a new calendar. There is nothing new about eco-terrorism. “Friends of the Earth” have engaged in violent, even lethal, actions that are often dismissed as misguided protests. Yet every time a new outbreak happens, the mainstream media act as though the protestors are doing something entirely new.
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For instance, in 1990, there was a spate of “tree spiking,” in which the eco-warriors drove large metal spikes into trees scheduled to be cut. When the unsuspecting loggers arrived with their chainsaws, the chains broke when they hit the spikes. On other occasions, the spikes were still in the logs when they went through the sawmill’s machinery. As The Washington Post reported at the time, the effects were sometimes lethal.
More recent and less dangerous were those occasions in 2022 in which vegans invaded grocery stores. Their goal was to “highlight the dairy industry’s negative impact on the planet,” according to Greenmatters. The chosen method was to pour milk all over the grocers’ floors. “‘The world’s best climate and land scientists are calling for the transition to a plant-based food system,’ [participant Dave] Hadden continued. ‘We need bold and decisive politics at this time, not the horror show we currently see.’”
Tyre Extinguishers
The Guardian article introduced readers to the destructive activities of a British organization called “Tyre Extinguishers.” This loose-knit group “urges people to take autonomous clandestine action against SUVs in cities by deflating their tyres.”
The group’s website makes no secret of its purpose. “We are people from all walks of life with one aim: To make it impossible to own a huge polluting 4×4 in the world’s urban areas. We are defending ourselves against climate change, air pollution and unsafe drivers…. Deflating tyres repeatedly and encouraging others to do the same will turn the minor inconvenience of a flat tyre into a giant obstacle for driving massive killer vehicles around our streets.” (Emphasis in the original.)
Tyre Extinguisher’s recommended method couldn’t be more straightforward. Their adherents merely remove the valve stem cover, place a small object—they suggest a green lentil—on the metal pin, and screw the cover back on, tightening it until they hear air hissing out of the valve. With practice, the site assures would-be participants the process can take less than ten seconds.
The group then suggests printing a copy of their leaflet and placing it under the windshield wiper. The site offers a free flier for download and printing in ten languages. Those who wish for a bit of extra notoriety can anonymously notify the local media over a free, secure email service.
Does Anybody Care?
The organization claims no leader, and individuals do not have to sign up anywhere to participate. Doubtless, an expert could trace the website’s origins and find the ringleader, but no one seems to care.
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Most articles treat this act of vandalism as a curiosity, not a crime. They even have a bemused but slightly admiring tone. Several appealed to latent Marxist sympathies by mentioning that most of the affected motorists lived in upscale areas. Nobody referred to the car owners as victims.
The official response was almost nonexistent. A BBC article from April 2024 printed a reaction that conveyed little, if any, concern that Tyre Extinguishers promote illegal activity. It merely mentioned, “A Met Police spokesperson said: ‘The local policing team in Islington are aware of this report and are speaking with local partners including the council to determine the scale of the problem. We will also be speaking with residents and ward panel members.’”
A More Serious Situation
The same Guardian article also quoted a manifesto from an organization named Shut the System (STS), which announced, “We vow to wage a campaign of sabotage targeting the tools, property and machinery of those most responsible for global warming, escalating until they accept our demands for an end to all support for fossil fuel expansion.”
The radicals chose their moment carefully. As Donald Trump delivered his inauguration speech, STS activists in London cut fiber optic cables connected to “hundreds of insurance companies,” according to a report in an online outlet called Canary. The article quoted an activist who threatened similar acts on a broader scale.
“If these powerful companies don’t make public statements that they will stop driving fossil fuel expansion and destroying life on Earth, then we have no choice but to stop them ourselves. We will not give up until insurance companies take responsible action.”
The organization boasted that it had cost the companies millions in lost revenue and compensation for the suddenly idled employees.
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The article’s tone was clearly sympathetic to the activists. In addition to mentioning the inauguration, Canary connected the act to three other events. The first was the global temperature exceeding “the 1.5C critical threshold for global warming faster than many climate scientists predicted.” The second and third were “some of the worst wildfires ever seen in Los Angeles and severe flooding in the UK, forcing thousands to evacuate their homes.”
The Guardian interviewed a man who was merely identified as “an activist from STS.” He differentiated his group from other activists who commit public acts of resistance, like blocking important streets to make commuting to work impossible.
Toasting Teslas
Yet another example of green vandalism is the current rash of incidents involving Tesla automobiles.
For some years, the electric Tesla and its manufacturer, Elon Musk, were the darlings of American environmentalists. The cars became “statement pieces” as their well-heeled owners simultaneously displayed their wealth and their commitment to a greener planet.
Then, Mr. Musk affiliated himself with the Trump Administration. Suddenly, the cars, charging stations and dealerships became objects of the leftists’ wrath. The weapons of choice seem to be the infamous “Molotov Cocktails.” As with any ongoing situation, the exact number of attacks is unobtainable, but the federal government is taking action. According to the New York Post, Attorney General Pam Bondi is lodging charges against their perpetrators.
“Let this be a warning: If you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars,” the Attorney General warns.
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While the media try to explain away the vandalism as an act of almost justified outrage, the Justice Department is taking the right approach. Finally, someone is taking the eco-terrorists seriously.
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