Climate protesters arrested after setting off flare at British Open golf tournament
Climate protestors interrupted The Open Championship in the United Kingdom on Friday, setting off a flare during the golf tournament.
The group Just Stop Oil reportedly set off the orange flare, at the tournament in Hoylake, England near the 17th green. Four people were arrested in the wake of the disruption, according to a police statement obtained by The Guardian.
“A small amount of powder was discarded onto the playing surface and it was reported that one person had a smoke pyrotechnic,” the statement reads, referring to an orange substance seen near the edge of the green.
“Two males and two females were quickly detained by both stewards and officers, and they were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit criminal damage and public nuisance,” police continued. “They will be taken into police custody to be questioned.”
The protestors were driven off the course in a golf cart and the tournament resumed.
Still, the organization called the disruption an “oil in one” — a play on words of the common golf term “hole in one.”
“There will be no more holes in one when our society collapses,” the organization posted on Twitter. “We must stop our government’s 100 new oil and gas licenses before they go on to cause more harm.”
Local law enforcement and the tournament’s manager, R&A, made preparations and put out alerts about possible disturbance leading up to the start of the event, according to reports.
The warnings come after Just Stop Oil targeted similar events, including Wimbledon earlier this month and the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield, England in April.
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