Wimbledon fans are urged by minister to ‘do a Jonny Bairstow’ to stop Just Stop Oil eco-clowns from disrupting more matches – after zealots invaded the same court twice in two hours
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The Policing Minister today urged spectators at major sporting events to ‘do a Jonny Bairstow’ and stop Just Stop Oil eco-clowns from interrupting play – after zealots targeted Wimbledon yesterday.
Home Office minister Chris Philp agreed that fans could intervene in the way the England cricketer last week picked up a climate change activist and carried him off the field at Lord’s.
But he added that ‘nobody should do anything dangerous or hurt anyone’ – and insisted it was firstly the job of stewards and marshals to step in to deal with demonstrations. Mr Philp also said anyone who intervenes should be ‘reasonable’. He spoke out today after it was revealed the Government had told Wimbledon officials and police that they can ‘use force, without it being excessive and where appropriate’.
Officers can also treat Just Stop Oil protests as a sustained campaign rather than standalone demonstrations – meaning that action can be taken without giving them a warning.
The eco protesters stormed Court 18 twice yesterday while a summit of sporting bosses and police chiefs was taking place in Downing Street. Following the incidents which saw the activists throw orange confetti and jigsaw pieces onto the court, security looks set to be beefed up to prevent more incidents.
A Just Stop Oil protester is dragged off Court 18 at Wimbledon by security officials yesterday
A Just Stop Oil protester runs onto Court 18 and releases confetti at Wimbledon yesterday
A protester on Court 18 interrupts Katie Boulter’s match with Daria Saville yesterday
Fans arriving at the All England Club in South West London could now have to go through a more vigorous bag check when entering the grounds, and there could also be more security guards and police on show to protect the players and courts.
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Jigsaws have also now been removed from sale in the onsite shop. It comes after an already high level of security for fans which has led to long queues.
Mr Philip was asked today whether he would be tempted to copy Bairstow’s actions at the Ashes, and replied: ‘It’s reasonable for people to try and protect the event that they are watching. Obviously, nobody should do anything dangerous or hurt anyone.’
Pressed further on whether anyone should lift protestors up and carry them away, he added: ‘There are marshals and there are stewards whose job it is to do that and of course the police are there as well. I would say let’s let the marshals and the stewards do their job.’
Mr Philp also said sporting bodies have been encouraged to use injunctions and hire more marshals and stewards to prevent disruptive protests.
He told Times Radio: ‘We’d like to see obviously those sporting organisations like Wimbledon increase the number of marshals and stewards. They have to be more careful about checking people coming into sporting events and react really quickly when something happens.’
He added that ministers ‘strongly encourage’ the use of injunctions, adding: ‘At the meeting yesterday we had with sporting leaders we encouraged the use of injunctions because that allows for a much more severe criminal penalty if the injunction gets breached.’
And a Government source told the Daily Telegraph: ‘Police and stewards should be able to use force, without it being excessive and where appropriate, to ensure that protesters do not spoil events that millions of law-abiding Britons have the right to enjoy without disruption.’
Just Stop Oil activists escorted away by police at the Wimbledon Championships yesterday
Katie Boulter helps the ball boys and girls pick up orange confetti on Court 18 yesterday
A Just Stop Oil protester is detained by security staff on Court 18 at Wimbledon yesterday
It comes as Suella Braverman last night urged sporting bodies to be ‘more robust’ in dealing with eco-zealots trying to wreck much-loved national events.
READ MORE Just Stop Oil burst into Harrods and baffle shoppers as they perform bizarre escalator protest before eco clowns are hauled out by security
The Home Secretary and Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer convened the summit yesterday amid growing concern at the tactics of Just Stop Oil and other fanatics.
Home Office sources said Mrs Braverman told event bosses that she wanted to see stewards ‘haul protesters off pitches’ to minimise disruption and act as a deterrent to others.
‘As long as they’re not using excessive force then the Home Secretary and the police will back them,’ the source said.
Yesterday’s summit involved executives from 15 sporting bodies, including the Premier League, the British Horseracing Authority, Silverstone Circuits and the Lawn Tennis Association.
Police representatives told yesterday’s summit that they are stepping up intelligence operations in order to prevent militants ruining a summer of sport.
Sporting chiefs agreed to step up stewarding at high profile events. They will also examine whether to seek injunctions in advance that could allow the police to act more quickly and make it easier to send protesters to jail.
Similar injunctions played a key role in disrupting previous actions by eco-protesters on the UK’s motorway network.
Just Stop Oil and similar groups like Animal Rising, have already disrupted a string of major sporting events including the World Snooker Championships and last year’s women’s Euros football tournament.
England cricketer Johnny Bairstow last week picked up a protester and carried him off the field at Lord’s during the Ashes
Speaking after the ‘very productive’ talks, the Home Secretary condemned the ‘unacceptable’ actions of protesters ‘determined to ruin the day’s play for spectators and sports fans across the world’.
READ MORE ‘You’re getting NO sympathy from anyone!’: Furious motorists blast Just Stop Oil eco clowns and beg them to get off the road as they stage ANOTHER infuriating slow march
She added: ‘We will be uncompromisingly tough on the selfish protesters intent on spoiling our world-class sporting occasions this summer.
‘Sports, police and Government are united against preventing further disruption of this kind.’
Miss Frazer said: ‘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.’
Ministers have pushed through a string of law changes designed to empower police to deal with the direct action tactics of protesters.
New stop and search powers allow police to detain people carrying items like superglue and padlocks if they are suspected of planning disruption.
The tactic of ‘locking on’ to prevent removal by police has been criminalised, as have slow march tactics deployed to disrupt traffic.
A new definition of ‘serious disruption’ has also been enshrined in law to make it easier for the police to act.
But ministers have been frustrated by the continuing level of disruption.
One government source said yesterday’s summit was designed to ‘knock some heads together’, adding: ‘We have taken a lot of action and we are prepared to take more. But we are still seeing these eco zealots causing disruption and ruining events. We need everyone pulling in the same direction now.’
Speaking after talks with Formula One boss Stefano Domenicali urged Just Stop Oil not to disrupt this weekend’s British Grand Prix with ‘selfish stunts’.
Mr Dowden said: ‘Track protests this weekend could be extremely dangerous and put lives at risk.’
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