The 2023 World Snooker Championship has been severely disrupted by two Just Oil protestors, one of whom who jumped onto a table during the evening session, and another who attempted to glue herself, unsuccessfully, to a table.
Joe Perry and Robert Milkins were playing their first round match on table 1 when a man leaped onto the baize and poured what appears to be dried orange paint onto the table top.
On table 2, table Mark Allen and Fang Zhengyi were also playing their first round match when, at the same time, a woman came from the crowd and tried to glue herself to the table before being escorted away.
Allen vs Zhengyi has now resumed after a 40 minute delay, with the game on table 1 will starting again on Tuesday evening at 1900h BST.
Workers were seen trying desperately to vacuum the orange powder off table 1, but to no avail.
Crazy Scenes At The World Snooker Championship
I’m lost for words pic.twitter.com/Gqf5bKXlUu
— Out Of Context Snooker (@OOCSnooker) April 17, 2023
Wow. Boos ring out as a protestor tries to climb the table at the Crucible during Mark Allen v Fan Zhengyi before being dragged off! pic.twitter.com/IfTH3pGXWU
— Chris Hammer (@ChrisHammer180) April 17, 2023
What an extraordinary picture this is from Getty Images, one of the most dramatic to ever emerge from the World Championship at the Crucible.#Snooker pic.twitter.com/AsiBLEhJKg
— Nick Metcalfe (@Nick_Metcalfe) April 17, 2023
🎱 NEW OIL AND GAS WILL SNOOKER US
🦺 At around 7:20pm, two Just Stop Oil supporters have disrupted the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, interrupting play. The pair proceeded to cover the tables in orange powder paint before being removed by… pic.twitter.com/xWJXjW82jf— Just Stop Oil (@JustStop_Oil) April 17, 2023
READ HERE: Perry 'Felt Sick' About How He Won World Snooker Championship Spot
After the incident, Just Oil tweeted the following:
"NEW OIL AND GAS WILL SNOOKER US
"At around 7:20pm, two Just Stop Oil supporters have disrupted the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, interrupting play. The pair proceeded to cover the tables in orange powder paint before being removed by security and arrested.
"They are demanding that the Government immediately stop all new UK fossil fuel projects and are calling on UK sporting institutions to step into in civil resistance against the Government’s genocidal policies."
After the weekend's disruptive protests at the Grand National, it has been a very memorable few days of sport, for right or wrong, and will certainly throw up much debate about the causes that the protestors are fighting for.
SEE ALSO: World Snooker Championship : Vafaei Escalates Ronnie O'Sullivan Beef Ahead Of Second Round Clash
