Wimbledon 2023: Just Stop Oil protesters interrupt play twice, jigsaws taken off sale
Play is interrupted at Wimbledon twice after Just Stop Oil protesters throw orange confetti on to court 18. …
Just Stop Oil protesters interrupted play twice at Wimbledon by throwing orange-coloured confetti and jigsaw pieces on to court 18.
The contest between Grigor Dimitrov and Sho Shimabukuro was targeted by two protesters.
A third protester then targeted Katie Boulter’s match against Daria Saville. Two men and a woman were arrested.
Environmental protest group Just Stop Oil has targeted various sporting events, including an Ashes Test.
Followers of the group – which calls for the government to halt all new oil, gas and coal projects – also disrupted the rugby union Premiership final and the World Snooker Championship.
In a statement after the first episode, the All England Club (AELTC) said: “Following an incident on court 18, two individuals have been arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass and criminal damage and these individuals have now been removed from the grounds.”
A man and woman had run on to the court, throwing confetti and jigsaw pieces from a Wimbledon ‘Centre Court View’ jigsaw puzzle box on to the grass. The man sat down on court 18 before he was removed.
A couple of hours later another man ran on to the same court, where British number one Boulter had just resumed her rain-interrupted first-round match against Australian Saville.
The crowd booed the protesters with some heard shouting “get off”.
Following the breaks in play, a Wimbledon shop worker told BBC Sport they had stopped selling jigsaws for now.
Just Stop Oil said in a statement its supporters had thrown “environmentally friendly orange confetti glitter and jigsaw pieces” and that “play was briefly delayed whilst marshals picked up the pieces”.
Home secretary Suella Braverman condemned the actions of the protesters as “selfish” and “unacceptable”, and said she had chaired a meeting at Downing Street with representatives of various sports organisations to try to “prevent further disruptions”.
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer added: “We must protect the right to peaceful protest, but that does not give licence to a vocal minority to spoil events that millions of us enjoy.”
The meeting followed a spate of protests at high-profile sporting events, with Just Stop Oil disrupting the second Ashes cricket test at Lord’s last week, attempting to spread orange powder on the wicket.
This year’s Grand National was also disrupted after animal rights activists attached themselves to fences, with police making multiple arrests.
Wimbledon the latest protest target despite increased security
Wimbledon organisers previously urged spectators to “be considerate” when they were asked about the possibility of climate change protests, and they also increased security checks at this year’s event.
The tighter security had led on Monday to delays in getting fans into the grounds.
Despite the measures, Wimbledon became the latest sporting event to find its green surface turned briefly orange.
AELTC chief executive Sally Bolton said earlier this week the club had “taken account of what we’ve seen elsewhere so security has been uplifted in various places around the grounds”.
An environmental activist previously tied themselves to the net post during the French Open semi-final between Casper Ruud and Marin Cilic in 2022.
‘It’s not pleasant’ – Dimitrov on interruption to his match
Bulgaria’s Dimitrov won his first-round match against Shimabukuro after the brief protest early in the second set. Dimitrov said the disruption had been handled well by staff and the timing of a rain delay that came almost immediately afterwards had also been helpful.
“Obviously, it’s not pleasant,” he said. “Sometimes you’re just at the wrong place at the wrong time.
“Everyone in a way did their part as quick as possible.
“Rain was coming so it was also a little bit fortunate to come off the court and have some time to kind of regroup a little bit and shake it off.”
Boulter added: “I think we all sympathise with what they’re going through completely. At the same time I don’t know if it’s the right place or time.
“When I think back to people who have sat here… 30 hours trying to watch tennis, it’s really tough on them.
“I’m pretty sure there will be a reaction to what’s been happening and there will be more security in place or whatever they need to do to ensure that it doesn’t happen again.”
Wimbledon have not said if they will be implementing any additional security measures.
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