The man had a t-shirt which read ‘End UK private jets’
A protester wearing a t-shirt which read “End UK private jets’ set himself on fire after invading the courts during the afternoon session of the Laver Cup.
The incident occurred in the hours running up to Rodger Federer’s final competitive game before retiring on Friday. The man in question ran onto the court before sitting down and setting fire to his hand and looked like he was in considerable pain.
A man has set his arm on fire after invading the court at the Laver Cup on Roger Federer's last day as a professional tennis player. pic.twitter.com/g0LcBU8PeJ
— Sam Street (@samstreetwrites) September 23, 2022
Security were able to run onto the court quickly and intervene, before dragging the protestor away and out of the O2 Arena.
As a result of the protest, play between Stefanos Tsitsipas and Diego Schwartzman was temporarily delayed while officials checked to see if the court had been affected by the fire.
No damage had been done and play was resumed. Shortly after, a Twitter account named ‘End Private UK Jets’, revealed that it was one of their members who had protested.
They wrote: “BREAKING NEWS Kai, 20, set their arm on fire at #LaverCup The liveable climate of our planet is collapsing. No one is taking it seriously. Is humanity not worth saving? Let’s get into resistance against this death machine.”
BREAKING NEWS
Kai, 20, set their arm on fire at #LaverCup
The liveable climate of our planet is collapsing. No one is taking it seriously.
Is humanity not worth saving?
Let’s get into resistance against this death machine.#EndUKPrivateJets pic.twitter.com/n81bXJtHsw— End UK Private Jets (@EndUKPrivateJet) September 23, 2022
Meanwhile others who were in attendance were left equally as shocked by what they saw. One person wrote: “An activist has just set themselves on fire at the Laver Cup!”
https://twitter.com/FacundoSavala/status/1573335796710514689
A second said: “An activist just set themselves on fire, protesting private jets at #lavercup. I wish there wasn’t any need to create awareness about #climatechange anymore. I hope they’re not hurt. The court seemed to be on fire at one point but is not damaged. The match has resumed.”
An activist just set themselves on fire, protesting private jets at #lavercup. I wish there wasn’t any need to create awareness about #climatechange anymore. I hope they’re not hurt. The court seemed to be on fire at one point but is not damaged. The match has resumed. pic.twitter.com/NoukxBcxJH
— Ayse Birinci (@aysethefirst) September 23, 2022
Related links:
- Christophe Galtier criticised for ‘sarcastic’ response to climate change question
- Climate activists plug golf holes with cement in protest over water ban exemption
- Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp compares fixture congestion response to climate change
