Climate activists disrupt British Open

Climate activists disrupted the British Open on Friday, setting off a smoke flare and throwing orange powder onto the Royal Liverpool course.

The Just Stop Oil group said three people were involved in the demonstration at the 17th hole during the second day of the tournament at Hoylake.

British golf’s landmark tournament is the latest high-profile sporting event to be targeted by Just Stop Oil in recent weeks following interruptions at Wimbledon and during the second Ashes cricket test at Lord’s.

“At around 12.20 pm three Just Stop Oil supporters ran onto hole 17 at The Open in Royal Liverpool,” the group said in a statement.

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“They set off a smoke flare and threw orange powder paint on the green before being removed by security.”

American golfer Billy Horschel escorted a woman wearing a Just Stop Oil T-shirt covered in orange paint off the green of the links course and handed her over to a police officer.

The woman and a man wearing a similar T-shirt were both handcuffed and marched off the course by several police officers.

Open organisers were prepared for a protest and stressed they had put in extra security precautions.

They had advised players not to engage with anyone who entered the course but Horschel decided against that.

Greenkeeping staff were dispatched to the hole and removed the powdered paint with leaf-blowers.

Just Stop Oil wants the UK government to end all new oil and gas exploration and has promised not to let up in its protests until it does so.