Wimbledon Match Disrupted As Protesters Hurl Confetti, Call For Oil Sponsorship To End

In a surprising turn of events at Wimbledon, a match was abruptly halted as two protesters rushed onto the court, showering it with confetti. The incident occurred during the first-round match between Sho Shimabukuro and Grigor Dimitrov, leaving both players and spectators stunned.

The disruptive act unfolded just moments ago when a man and a woman, donning “Just Stop Oil” T-shirts, leaped from the crowd, bringing play to a screeching halt. They swiftly emptied boxes filled with orange paper and puzzle pieces onto the court, causing a spectacle mere feet away from the bewildered Shimabukuro and Dimitrov.

While security promptly removed the woman from the court, the man remained seated cross-legged until security personnel intervened and escorted him away from the scene.

The activist group “Just Stop Oil,” known for orchestrating such attention-grabbing stunts, claimed responsibility for the disruption through a series of tweets on Wednesday morning. According to their social media posts, the protest aimed to highlight Wimbledon’s sponsorship agreement with Barclays, an organization that Just Stop Oil alleges has provided £30 billion to oil and gas companies over the past two years.

The unexpected interruption forced a delay in the match as Wimbledon staff worked diligently to clear the court of the confetti. However, after several minutes, play resumed, and both athletes resumed their battle on the famed grass courts.