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21st Dec 2021

Darts fans chant “stand up if you hate Boris” at PDC World Championship

Daniel Brown

‘Stand up if you hate Boris’

Thousands of darts fans directed a chant at Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a PDC World Darts Championship match on Monday night.

Johnson has come under intense scrutiny in recent days after the Guardian published images showing the PM, Carrie Johnson, and colleagues with wine and cheese in May 2020, at the height of lockdown measures.

At the same time the image was taken, the rest of the UK was grappling with restrictions. Pubs and restaurants were still closed at this time and would not open back up to the public for another two months.

Unsurprisingly, Downing Street has defended the Prime Minister and other Government officials, but fans inside the ‘Ally Pally’ were keen to make their feelings known.

While James Wade and Maik Kuivenhoven were battling it out on stage, thousands of people got to their feet and chanted “Stand up if you hate Boris”.

As well as the chanting, one fan made another not-so-subtle dig at the PM, holding up a sign that featured a drawing of some cheese and wine.

The PDC World Darts Championship – which attracts around 80,000 fans per year – has already seen a number of spectacular matches in the early stages of the competition.

Scotland’s William Borland hit a sensational nine-dart finish in the deciding leg of his first round match against Bradley Brooks.

Then, just 24 hours later, Darius Labanauskas hit a stunning nine-darter to win the first set against Mike De Decker. However, he would go on to lose 3-1 to De Decker and exited the tournament at the first round stage.