A climate protest by Extinction Rebellion activists caused a significant disruption during a U.S. Open semifinal match, leading to a delay of nearly an hour.
The incident occurred during a match between American player Coco Gauff and Czech competitor Karolina Muchov, when the activists began to vocally protest, effectively halting the second set of the game.
The disturbance at Ashe Stadium in New York City drew the attention of both players and spectators, as more than a dozen police officers arrived to remove the three protesters, as reported by the Guardian. The activists were seen wearing shirts emblazoned with the slogan End Fossil Fuels.
One protester, who was subsequently handcuffed by the police, had seemingly glued his bare feet to the cement floor of the stadium's stands. The removal process was delayed until paramedics arrived to safely detach the protester.
Gauff questioned match officials about their "negotiation" with the protesters, as reported by the Daily Wire. Her coach reportedly exclaimed, "This is a joke," amidst boos and chants of "You suck!" from the crowd.
The disruption led to a 49-minute delay, during which the tennis players retreated to the dressing rooms until the activists were cleared.
It was a bit challenging, because, you know, its not like a typical delay, Gauff later commented, according to ESPN. But, you know, its life. It happens. So I just try my best to keep the momentum that I had going from winning the first set and the first game.
Gauff also appeared to somewhat condone the protest, stating, "I always speak about preaching about what you feel and what you believe in. It was done in a peaceful way, so I cant get too mad at it. Obviously I dont want it to happen when Im winning, up 6-4, 1-0, and I wanted the momentum to keep going. But hey, if thats what they felt they needed to do to get their voices heard, I cant really get upset at it.
Extinction Rebellion later claimed responsibility for the disruption, making broad statements about climate change. The climate is already more disruptive than any activists can possibly be, a spokesperson said. Just look at the U.S. Open and other big tennis events year after year, the average temperatures have been rising, making it hotter and more dangerous for the players and spectators."
The spokesperson further warned, At some point, there will be fewer outdoor sporting events due to excessive heat."
Tournament Director Stacey Allaster also weighed in on the incident, stating that security will be resuming along with NYPD to see what else we can do to prevent it in the future.
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