Soccer Match Briefly Stopped After Protestor Zip-Ties Himself to Goalpost, Bolt Cutters Used to Remove Him
Screenshot via Instagram.
A soccer match between Everton and Newcastle United was halted Thursday as a protestor stormed the pitch and zip-tied himself to one of the goalposts. This required several police officers and stewards to remove the fan using bolt cutters.
Most effort put in at Goodison park this season pic.twitter.com/kkV18s6DbQ
— Sean (@WafcSean) March 17, 2022
Louis McKechnie, 21, stormed the pitch early in the second half and fastened himself to the goalpost, resulting in a seven-minute delay in action before he was freed and escorted off the pitch.
The incident appeared to be an act of protest as McKechnie wore a bright orange t-shirt with the words ‘Just Stop Oil’ printed on the front.
Furthermore, a twitter account named Just Stop Oil took responsibility for the incident, posting a bevy of explanations for the 21-year-old’s stunt.
This evening, Louis, a 21 year-old supporter of Just Stop Oil, locked on to the goalpost at Goodison Park wearing a Just Stop Oil t-shirt, causing the referee to briefly stop play.
When explaining why he has chosen this action, Louis said: pic.twitter.com/XqjaYFIDyz
— JustStopOil (@JustStop_Oil) March 17, 2022
McKechnie also gave a statement on his demonstration.
“It’s 2022 and it’s time to look up, time to step up and not stand by. It’s time to act like it’s an emergency,” he said via Just Stop Oil’s twitter account. “Report after report is telling me that my future is going to be dire, and my government is telling me not to worry and pay into a pension. But we have a choice. We can choose to highlight that our climate is breaking down, we can choose to resist this government that is betraying us, we can choose to step up and not stand by.”
This isn’t the first stoppage in play supported by the activist group this week as another protestor stormed the pitch during the Arsenal v. Liverpool match earlier this week.
Sorry to have interrupted your game, but no one listens unless we do crazy shit like this.
This beautiful game, like your lives, will be disrupted by increasingly extreme weather events in the years to come.
Kai, 20, a Law student at the University of Manchester, said: pic.twitter.com/hVcH0ooM1o
— JustStopOil (@JustStop_Oil) March 16, 2022
Read the article attached via The Daily Mail
