Activists from "Just Stop Oil" storm Wimbledon courts, police intervene

(Patria) - The match between Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov and Shimabukuro Sho was interrupted in the second set due to protesters entering Court 18 at Wimbledon.

The demonstrators scattered puzzle pieces and confetti on the court, and the players, after numerous interruptions due to rain, had to wait longer for everything to be cleared before they could continue the match.

Protestors jump onto court 18 at #WIMBLEDON half way through Dimitrov & Shimabukuro.
Crowds cheering as they’re both removed. pic.twitter.com/GNWroRO1SY

— Molly Clayton (@mollclayton) July 5, 2023

An activist from the organization "Just Stop Oil" entered Court 18 as part of a protest against fossil fuels, which this group has been practicing at sports venues for a long time.

The police reacted promptly and prevented a larger incident, but the question remains how they managed it at all, given that they had been warned earlier.

There was a fear that radical environmental activists might cause an incident on Centre Court, and therefore a plan was prepared for such cases, which included enhanced security measures on and off the court.