 |
|
Hummers In NW Arkansas Targeted By Vandals; 'ELF Written in Spray Paint on SUVs
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- A radical environmental group is believed responsible for the vandalism of five
Hummers
in northwest Arkansas in recent weeks, authorities said.
The initials ELF were spray painted on the SUVs. The initials stand for the Earth Liberation Front, a group
known for its extreme tactics to protect the environment.
Hummer Vandalism The Work Of Local "Eco-Terrorists"?
Richard Coger, a Hummer owner, said he walked outside last week and found his vehicle with slashed tires,
broken windows, dents, and a sandwich shoved in the gas tank.
The initials ELF were spray painted on the Hummer, Coger said.
"I wish they would get these people," he said.
Last year, members of the Earth Liberation Front accepted responsibility for a California fire that
destroyed
40 Hummers at a dealership.
Dr. Art Hobson, who keeps a close eye on the environment and the fuel efficiency of the Hummer, said the
vehicles are popular targets for environmental activists.
"They are polluting three times as much, and using three times as much of our oil," he said.
Although Hobson is against gas-guzzling SUVs, he said he is also strongly against the actions of ELF.
"It's terrible," he said. "I'm an environmentalist, but I totally deplore what they are doing."
Coger said that he would take actions to protect his Hummer, once it is fixed.
"It's going in the garage from now on," he said.
A person in the ELF press office said the organization was unaware of the vandalism in northwest Arkansas.
ELF is an underground organization. One of the goals listed on its Web page is to stop the destruction of
the
environment, even if it takes economic sabotage and property destruction.
If apprehended, the Hummer vandals could face felony charges.
|
