England wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow found himself in the midst of an unexpected incident during the second Ashes Test at Lord’s. Just minutes into the match, Bairstow took it upon himself to remove a protester from the ground. The protester, associated with the Just Stop Oil campaign, had released orange paint near the wicket before being carried off the field by Bairstow. The incident caused a delay as the grounds staff had to repair the affected area of the pitch. In the process, Bairstow also got paint on his whites and had to change his shirt.
Another protester managed to make it onto the pitch but was swiftly removed by security staff, with players like David Warner and Ben Stokes intervening. A third protester was stopped before entering the field. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that three individuals had been arrested and taken into custody. However, the 69-year-old grandmother mentioned in a statement by Just Stop Oil did not make it onto the pitch.
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The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which owns Lord’s, strongly condemned the pitch incursion and the behavior of the protesters. The MCC expressed concern for the safety of everyone present on the ground and highlighted the protesters’ disregard for paying spectators across various sporting events in the country.
Jonny Bairstow carrying off a Just Stop Oil protestor like he’s putting the ironing board away. #Ashes2023 pic.twitter.com/G7f5HL4RY8
— Sam Farley (@FarleyWrites) June 28, 2023
After a brief interruption, the match resumed with Stuart Broad beginning his spell. However, play was halted again for around 15 minutes due to drizzly conditions on the opening morning of the second Test. Just Stop Oil has been involved in protests at multiple sporting events this year, including the disruption of the World Snooker Championships at the Crucible in April and the Premiership Rugby final at Twickenham in May.
Notably, during the Premiership Rugby final, England international Tom Curry joined stewards in removing a protester from the field of play. Just Stop Oil protesters also briefly halted England’s team bus last month as the team made their way to Lord’s for the opening Test match against Ireland.
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Bairstow himself shared a picture of the Just Stop Oil protesters on his Instagram story, highlighting the incident where they blocked England’s bus while leaving the team hotel. The disruptions caused by these protests have raised concerns regarding the safety of players, officials, and spectators at sporting events, emphasizing the need for effective measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
