Wimbledon 2023: Fans face renewed security checks after Just Stop Oil protests

A protester is challenged by security on court 18 after a Just Stop Oil protest using orange confetti and a jigsaw puzzle
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Tennis fans coming into the Wimbledon Championships on Thursday faced security checks after Just Stop Oil protesters disrupted play the day before.

Thousands of fans lined up in the Wimbledon queue on Thursday morning, hoping to get into the All England Club to watch British hopefuls Sir Andy Murray, Katie Boutler, Liam Broady and Jan Choinski.

When they got to the gates, security staff did bag checks on everyone - with some also undergoing body and pat down searches.

It comes after three Just Stop Oil (JSO) protesters were arrested and held on suspicion of aggravated trespass and criminal damage after orange confetti and jigsaw puzzle pieces were thrown on to Court 18 on Wednesday.

Wimbledon 2023 - Day Four - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
PA

The protesters were named by JSO as Deborah Wilde, Simon Milner-Edwards and William John Ward.

Wilde, 68, a retired teacher from London, and Milner-Edwards, 66, a retired musician from Manchester, were arrested after the first protest just after 2pm on Wednesday during a match between Grigor Dimitrov and Sho Shimabukuro.

Ward, 66, a retired civil engineer from Epsom, was escorted from the court after a match between Briton Katie Boulter and Daria Saville was disrupted later in the afternoon.

The two players helped clear the grass of the orange confetti and the scattered jigsaw pieces before play resumed.

Wimbledon 2023 - Day Four - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
PA

British number one Boulter told reporters after winning her match that it was a “tough moment” for both her and her opponent when protesters stopped play.

Asked if she was worried, she said: “Definitely. You never know what it is.

“I think I heard the crowd before I saw anything. Then I realised what it was because I saw it in the previous match.

“It was obviously a little bit of a shock to the system.

“I think we both handled it really well. It’s a really unfortunate situation for everyone.”

Dimitrov said his first reaction was to remove the protesters from the court.

Told an activist was physically carried off during the cricket last week, he said: “I mean, my first reaction was initially to go also, but then I also realised that’s not my place to do that.”

Wimbledon 2023 | Just Stop Oil Protest

*** BESTPIX *** Day Three: The Championships - Wimbledon 2023
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Spectators who heard about the protesters said they “marred” the tournament.

Souvenir jigsaws were unavailable to buy at the Wimbledon shop after the two incidents.

Chalk dust or powder substances - commonly used by the group to disrupt play at sports events - have also been banned this year. They were not listed as prohibited items in 2022.

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