During the English Premiership Rugby final between Saracens and Sale at Twickenham, a group of protesters from the organization Just Stop Oil invaded the pitch, causing a temporary halt to the match. The protesters threw orange paint powder onto the field, creating a visual disruption that led to a five-minute pause in the game.
The demonstration was aimed at drawing attention to the group’s call for the government to cease new fossil fuel licensing and production. Two male protesters sprinted onto the pitch approximately 15 minutes into the game, prompting boos from the crowd. Stewards swiftly intervened, removing the protesters from the field. One of the stewards managed to tackle a protester, which delighted the spectators.
As the match resumed, remnants of the orange powder could still be seen on the field. Just Stop Oil later identified the individuals involved in the protest as Dr. Patrick Hart, a 37-year-old GP from Bristol, and Sam Johnson, a 40-year-old construction worker from Essex. Dr. Hart, in a statement released by Just Stop Oil, explained that he participated in the protest due to his duty as a doctor and his belief that the climate crisis poses a severe health risk. Johnson expressed his urgency, emphasizing that the world cannot afford to continue burning fossil fuels without dire consequences.
Twickenham Stadium released a statement acknowledging the incident and confirming that two individuals had been arrested, making it a police matter. The stadium expressed gratitude toward its stewarding team for their decisive and swift action in handling the situation.
This protest follows a similar act by a Just Stop Oil demonstrator who released orange powder onto a snooker table during the world championships in April. The campaign, which began on February 14, 2022, has resulted in over 2,100 arrests and 138 individuals serving prison sentences, according to Just Stop Oil. Morgan Trowland and Marcus Decker, two supporters of the organization, are currently serving three-year prison terms for a protest that caused the closure of the Dartford Crossing for two days in October 2022.
