Multi-millionaire Just Stop Oil donor Dale Vince says eco-zealots will continue disruption at ‘high-profile’ sports – as Silverstone boss warns of ‘serious injury or death’ if protesters interrupt an F1 event ahead of British Grand Prix
- Vince has warned the eco-mob will continue to disrupt sports on its ‘target list’
- His comments come before the start of the F1 event at Silverstone this weekend
Just Stop Oil donor Dale Vince has warned the eco-mob will continue to disrupt ‘high-profile’ sports which are on the group’s ‘target list’.
The multi-millionaire, who is the owner of British energy company Ecotricity, told the Guardian that protestors will continue to target sporting events on the big stage in order to grab headlines.
He said that the ‘most effective protest is a disruptive one’ and he believes ‘a few minutes delay at a sporting event really is nothing’ compared to the number of people who are losing their lives to climate change.
Vince’s comments, which were reportedly made before the protests at Wimbledon yesterday when eco-zealots stormed Court 18 and disrupted play twice in two hours, come before the start of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone this weekend.
Managing Director of Silverstone Stuart Pringle said earlier this week there is a ‘high likelihood of serious injury or death’ if similar protests are carried out at the F1 event and urged people ‘not to be so stupid’.
Just Stop Oil donor Dale Vince (pictured) has warned the eco-mob will continue to disrupt ‘high-profile’ sports which are on the group’s ‘target list’
The multi-millionaire said protestors will continue to target sporting events on the big stage in order to grab headlines (Pictured: One protestor interrupting the female British number one Katie Boulter’s match against Daria Saville yesterday)
Vince’s comments come before the start of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone (pictured) this weekend
Vince told the Guardian that Just Stop Oil does not decide which sporting events to disrupt based on their environmental credentials.
He explained that the protests at certain sporting and cultural events were based on ‘how much disruption can we cause’ and ‘how many headlines can we grab’.
Vince also recognised that people might be sympathetic towards Just Stop Oil’s protest methods but maintained that people are still on board with their views.
He added that protests where people wave placards and stand to the side of the road are ‘less effective’ than causing disruption to people’s everyday lives.
Last week, two Just Stop Oil activists ran onto the pitch during the second Ashes test at Lords after just one over of the first morning’s play and attempted to throw orange powder paint on the grounds.
England wicket keeper Johnny Bairstow quickly picked up one of the protesters and carried him off the field and has since been hailed on Twitter for his actions.
Vince, who is also the chairman of league two football team Forest Green Rovers, said that play at Lords was only disrupted for ‘three or four minutes’, which he compared to figures from the UN which say four million people have been killed so far as a result of the climate crisis.
He added that the ‘real target’ of the protests is the government, who he claims are ‘hellbent on drilling for more fossil fuels in the face of all of the science and the science and political consensus globally’.
A protester on Court 18 interrupts Katie Boulter’s match with Daria Saville yesterday
A Just Stop Oil protester is dragged off Court 18 at Wimbledon by security officials yesterday
A Just Stop Oil protester runs onto Court 18 and releases confetti at Wimbledon yesterday
Following the disruption caused on Court 18 at Wimbledon yesterday, the Policing Minister today urged spectators at major sporting events to ‘do a Jonny Bairstow’ and stop Just Stop Oil eco-clowns from interrupting play.
Home Office minister Chris Philp agreed that fans could intervene in the way the England cricketer last week picked up a climate change activist and carried him off the field at Lord’s.
But he added that ‘nobody should do anything dangerous or hurt anyone’ – and insisted it was firstly the job of stewards and marshals to step in to deal with demonstrations. Mr Philp also said anyone who intervenes should be ‘reasonable’.
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