Three Protesters Invade Lord's Pitch During Ashes Test
A group of activists from the organization JUST Stop Oil managed to infiltrate the pitch at Lord's cricket ground during June's Second Test of the Ashes. Student Daniel Knorr, 21, was apprehended by England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow, while Jacob Bourne, 27, threw orange powder paint and was caught by security. Gran Judit Murray, 69, was tackled on the boundary.
Lenient Sentence Sparks Outrage
Despite promises from the Home Office and police to crack down on Just Stop Oil protests, the three protesters were given a small fine and 60 hours of unpaid work. The lenient sentence has drawn criticism from Tory MP Nigel Mills, who called it a "disgrace" and expressed concern that it would encourage more acts of "mindless disorder."
Potential Consequences
The disruption caused by the protesters could have had serious consequences. If the powder paint had reached the wicket, the Test could have been abandoned, resulting in the loss of millions in revenue.
Community Order and Fines
District Judge Neeta Minhas handed each protester a 12-month community order with a requirement of 60 hours of unpaid work. Despite a pre-sentence report suggesting that Knorr and Murray were unfit for community work, Judge Minhas determined that they had sufficient levels of fitness based on footage of them on the pitch. Each protester was also fined £440 and banned from Lord's for a year.
Celebration Among Supporters
Supporters of JUST Stop Oil celebrated the court result in message groups, praising the judge for what they saw as a heroic decision. They expressed hope that the publicity generated by the activists' actions at the cricket match would inspire others to take similar stands.
