Ashes Test delayed by Just Stop Oil as Jonny Bairstow hauls protester off Lord’s pitch
A second Just Stop Oil protester also made it onto the pitch but was hauled off by security staff. A third protester was stopped before entering the field of play.
The Metropolitan Police said three people had been arrested and taken into custody.
A statement from Just Stop Oil said a “69-year old-grandmother from Epsom” was one of the people taking action, but she did not make it onto the pitch.
Bairstow carried off the protester and ended up covered in orange paint
The statement said: “Just Stop Oil supporters have disrupted The Ashes 2nd test match, at Lords cricket ground, between England and Australia. The Just Stop Oil supporters are demanding the UK government immediately halt new oil, gas and coal projects in the UK, and are calling on Lords to make a statement demanding an end to new fossil fuels.
“At around 11:05am, three Just Stop Oil supporters stormed the pitch at Lords in a cloud of orange powder-paint. The supporters were removed from the pitch, one being carried off by Jonny Bairstow.”
England captain Ben Stokes appeals as Bairstow drags off the other protester
The Test match then resumed at the start of the second over as Stuart Broad began his spell.
Speaking on the BBC’s Test Match special, the commentator Jonathan Agnew said: “Let’s hope this doesn’t happen again, let’s hope that’s the one attack on the Ashes this year.”
Just Stop Oil have targeted several sporting events this year and managed to disrupt the World Snooker Championships at the Crucible in April and the Premiership Rugby final at Twickenham in May.
Players also took matters into their own hands at Twickenham as England international Tom Curry helped stewards remove the protester from the field of play.
England’s team bus was briefly halted by Just Stop Oil protesters last month as they made their way to Lord’s for the summer’s opening Test match against Ireland.
There was significant disruption at the World Snooker Championship when a Just Stop Oil supporter jumped onto one of the tables and tipped orange paint onto the carpet.
The match between Robert Milkins and Joe Perry was suspended for the evening as the table had to re-covered overnight.
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Two men were arrested following the stunt.
More to follow…
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