Man torches BMW to protest gas prices, police say

[madinmaryland]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/06/27/germany.gas.ap/index.html

BERLIN, Germany (AP) -- A German man doused his BMW with gasoline and torched it Friday in protest at skyrocketing fuel costs, police said.

The unemployed 30-year-old man drove a black 1995 BMW 3-series sedan onto the lawn outside Frankfurt's convention center grounds at about 7:30 a.m., police spokesman Karlheinz Wagner said.

He then jumped out, emptied a canister of gas over the vehicle and set fire to it, Wagner said.

By the time the fire department got to the scene, the car was entirely burned out.

The Bavarian man, whose name was being withheld because he has not been charged with a crime, told police that gas prices were so high he could no longer afford to drive the vehicle.

As in many countries, gasoline prices have risen steadily in Germany; a liter of regular gasoline now costs about euro 1.55, or $9.40 per gallon.

Police were investigating whether the man could be charged with violating German environmental laws with the stunt, Wagner said. Penalties range from fines to five years in prison.

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Seems a little bit on the extreme side.

[slackmaster]

1. That's one way to get out of making your car payments

:nuke:

[Street]

2. Would a yank set fir to himself/herself over gasoline prices?

[madinmaryland]

4. Well, there have been a couple of stories of people torching gas

stations.

Have not heard about anyone torching their car, until this guy did it.

[AndyA]

3. Reminds me of that classic moment in the movie "Waiting To Exhale"

when Angela Bassett set fire to her philandering husband's BMW.

When the cops came to the door about it, they told her she could only burn trash.

"It is trash." she responded. :rofl:

[Renew Deal]

5. lol

That's all I have to say about that.

[Owl]

6. STUPID Man torches BMW to protest gas prices, police say

[MedleyMisty]

7. I also heard about fishermen burning their boats to protest

It really doesn't make much sense to me because no one else is going to care or be influenced by the fact that you burnt your own stuff, but hey. It's their stuff and it's their choice.

[madinmaryland]

10. My sentiments also. Just as long as they don't try and get their insurance

company to pay for their stupidity.

[bdamomma]

8. whatever is done in the US does have its ripple effect.

[Occam Bandage]

9. A better use of it: sell it and donate the cash.

[Efilroft Sul]

11. Dude, you torched the vehicle with the wrong three letters.

Everyone knows that if you're going to protest high gas prices, you torch an SUV--not a BMW.

Get it right, Adolph.

:evilgrin: