Just Stop Oil protesters strike at Wimbledon as they get on Court 18

Just Stop Oil eco clowns today brought Wimbledon to a halt by storming a court and throwing orange confetti and jigsaw pieces over the grass before they were dragged off by security.

In the latest sporting event to be disrupted by the eco rebels, retired teacher Deborah Wilde, 68, and former musician Simon Milner-Edwards, 66, both ran onto Court 18 during Sho Shimabukuro’s clash with Grigor Dimitrov and brought the match to a temporary pause.

The crowd booed and groaned after the Just Stop Oil activists stormed the court at around 2pm this afternoon. The umpire told the players ‘please wait’, then the BBC’s live coverage cut away from the court to a wider shot of the general site in South West London, when commentator Nick Mullins then told viewers: ‘Once more, orange clouds hang over a British sporting event this summer. 

‘This time it’s ticker tape rather than paint, dust. But it is an intrusion, and it will need sorting out.’

The protest has helped undermine a massive airport-style security effort in SW19 attempting to prevent disruption by eco warriors conducting precisely the sort of stunt which took place.

By making extensive bag checks on all spectators entering the grounds and searching for banned items including spray paint, sprays for personal protection and glue, Wimbledon officials had helped sparked queue chaos on the first day of the tournament.

It comes after Just Stop Oil protesters were arrested at Lord’s Cricket Ground during the second Ashes Test – including one man who was carried off the pitch by England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow.

The Met Police said on Twitter that a man and a woman were now in custody after the incident this afternoon.

Wimbledon said in a statement: ‘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.

‘Play on the court was temporarily paused and, following a suspension in play due to a rain delay, play is about to resume.’

The group – which wants the Government to stop all new licences for oil, gas and coal – said Ms Wilde was among the two activists today.

She said: ‘I’m just an ordinary grandmother in resistance to this government’s policy of serving us new oil and gas licences. In normal circumstances this sort of disruption would be entirely unacceptable, but these aren’t normal circumstances.

‘We’ve just had the hottest June on record, breaking the previous record by nearly a whole degree, We don’t need Hawk-Eye to see that our government issuing over 100 new fossil fuel licences is a very bad line call.’

‘Forget strawberries and cream, scientists are warning of impending food shortages, mass displacement and war. We are facing new pandemics, economic inflation and increasingly authoritarian governments who will attempt to crush civil unrest.

‘This is a crisis and it needs a crisis response. I want a safe future, not just for my grandchildren but for all children around the world and the generations to come.’

Also taking action was Mr Milner-Edwards, who said: ‘I’m here for my grandchildren and everybody else’s. I’m not prepared to let our politicians wreck everything and leave the next generation to pick up the pieces.

‘The last thing I want to do is spoil people’s enjoyment of Wimbledon, but right now, on Centre Court, it’s humanity vs oil and gas – and the umpire is getting every call wrong. How long are we going to take this before we see a McEnroe-level meltdown!?’

Just Stop Oil said its activists have completed up to seven marches a day, six days a week since April 24 with more than 600 people from across the UK taking part.

The group claimed that there have been 227 arrests so far this year, including those detained at the Coronation and cultural and sporting events.

Just Stop Oil added that since its campaign launched on February 14, 2022, there have been more than 2,200 arrests and 138 people have spent time in prison.

It was reported last month that protestors were ‘hatching a plot’ to disrupt Wimbledon.

The Sun reported that members of the group wanted to glue themselves to Centre Court or even target the umpire’s chair or the grass.

A source told the newspaper: ‘An image of someone’s hand glued to something on Centre Court would be amazing. That would be very inspiring. There’s a lot of people up for that.’ 

Andy Murray admitted last week he thought there was a ‘good chance’ of protestors causing chaos at Wimbledon.

The British tennis player said: ‘I think there is probably a good chance of something happening.

‘I am not sure how many times I have had somebody run on the court when I am actually playing. It may have been once but I am not sure it has been more than that.’

This comes as earlier today Just Stop Oil eco clowns baffled shoppers in Harrods as they performed a bizarre escalator protest before being hauled out by security.

Four protestors carrying signs were filmed today riding the escalators of the department store on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge as members of the public watched on in confusion. 

In one video, the eco-zealots are seen going up and down on some escalators in the well known shopping complex as they pass baffled shoppers. 

Another video then shows the group being escorted down a flight of stairs by security guards, who also removed a photographer from the building, according to Just Stop Oil. 

Metropolitan Police also arrested four members of the group after they launched their 11th week of road protests across London today. 

The group caused commuter traffic during rush hour this morning by walking down the road while holding signs, infuriating motorists who told them to get off the pavement.

In one video, one furious driver berated the eco protesters in a foul-mouthed diatribe: ‘We’re all f****d off with you. Film what you want mate. You’re getting no sympathy from anyone, f**k off.’ 

Footage from a separate Just Stop Oil march shows a taxi driver begging them to move as he tries, apparently in vain, to make the demonstrators realise that his car is electric. 

The Metropolitan Police said officers arrested four people at a march in Parliament Square after clearing the road at 10:22am this morning. 

Just Stop Oil portestors marched in six groups in Hammersmith, Victoria, Westminster, Kensington and Tower Bridge from around 8am, with a further four from 10am including Parliament Square. 

The group claimed on Twitter that 34 of its supporters marched in five groups through London today in their 11th week of road protests.  

It added: ‘Police issuing S12 across a 5 mile radius for many of today’s marches #PMQs.’