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Protestors storm Wimbledon court, launch confetti

profilephotocropby:Suzanne Halliburton•07/05/23•

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wimbledon protests
Julian Finney/Getty Images

Nothing says celebrate like bright-colored confetti, except when it’s tossed in protest at Wimbledon and brings a couple of matches to a halt. Then it’s very much a nuisance.

That’s how Wednesday unfolded at the All England Club in London as one of the most recognized sporting events in the world kicks off its first week. Protestors targeted two matches. The first was between Grigor Dimitrov and Sho Shimabukuro on court 18. Then protestors interrupted a match between Katie Boulter, the top-ranked player in Great Britain, and Daria Saville.

The protestors belong to an environmental group called Just Stop Oil. Wimbledon hasn’t been their only target this year. They’ve also been active at the rugby Premiership final and the World Snooker Championship. Their most recent act was a disruption last week of the Ashes Test, a cricket match between England and Australia. According to the BBC, the group wants the British government to stop all new oil gas and coal projects.

They protested by tossing metallic orange confetti. And they also threw blue-colored puzzle pieces. Coincidentally, the puzzle pieces were from a Wimbledon souvenir jigsaw puzzle of Center Court. The protestors also used the puzzle boxes to hide the confetti.

A Just Stop Oil demonstrator throws orange confetti for the group’s second protest, Wednesday, at Wimbledon. (GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)

A spokesperson for Just Stop Oil issued a statement to the media saying that the protestors used “environmentally friendly orange confetti glitter and jigsaw pieces.” The statement also said that play was “briefly delayed” while Wimbledon crews, using leaf blowers, cleaned the courts. Then the rains came.

Wimbledon had beefed up security earlier this week to the point that there were lengthy delays getting in on Monday. Security checked for all sorts of items, including chalk.

The social media account The Tennis Letter tweeted: “Protestors jumped onto court 18 and disrupted Dimitrov vs Shimabukuro at Wimbledon They threw a jigsaw puzzle & confetti. This is disappointing to say the least. This isn’t activism. This is just odd.”

Wimbledon issued a statement to the media with an update.

“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.”