Several SUVs in Ghent were smeared with fake blood and covered with posters as part of a protest action against the large vehicles, which activists say are environmentally harmful and represent “a privatisation of road safety.”
Mayor Mathias De Clercq (Open Vld) called the action “totally unacceptable and pure vandalism,” De Morgen reports.
The activist collective TOON and a local Anti-SUV group claimed responsibility for the action using an anonymous email address, saying they tackled some 200 vehicles in Ghent on Thursday night.
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The group said that the blood is ketchup and the stickers can be easily removed, and that they therefore did not cause any damage to the vehicles.
“The rise of the Sports Utility Vehicle amounts to a privatisation of road safety,” they explained in their email.
a peaceful morningwalk in Gent? grappige is gwn da het op keiveel auto’s is die géén SUV zijn en ook… als ge iemands voorruit vol hangt… rijdt die mss sneller een fietser aan… just a thought hé pic.twitter.com/8Xi6UFAiqK
— jantje? (@tofuteef) February 11, 2022
“Those who can afford the higher cost of an SUV— both in purchase price and in consumption— imagine themselves safe in their armoured car while public safety overall declines.”
The Ghent police have already received several reports, and advise the owners of targeted cars to report the matter via the e-portal.
