Report: Players at The Open briefed about what to do if Just Stop Oil show up
Players and caddies at the 151st Open Championship have reportedly been told 'not to do a Jonny Bairstow' with Just Stop Oil protesters at Royal Liverpool.
Players and caddies have been told not to take matters into their own hands with any Just Stop Oil protesters at The Open Championship.
According to a report by Telegraph Sport, all players and their loopers arriving at Royal Liverpool have been told 'to let security deal with it' in the event the major is interrupted by the British environmentalist activist group.
Per the paper, a source said: "They've effectively been told not to do a Jonny Bairstow."
The source is referring to the England wicketkeeper who decided to pick up a pitch invader at the second Ashes test.
Ahead of the second morning session on day one at Lord's cricket ground, Just Stop Oil activists raced onto the pitch.
Bairstow immediately picked up one protester and carried them off the turf. Three people were arrested, the Metropolitan Police later confirmed.
At the time, a spokesperson from the group said:
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Just Stop Oil have been staging daily protests from 24 April, disrupting high profile events like the Chelsea Flower Show, the Gallagher Premiership rugby final at Twickenham and the world snooker championship.
The group also targeted the outside courts at Wimbledon.
Telegraph Sport also reported that officials from the R&A have been sharing intelligence with other forces and the organisers of other high profile events.
More than 260,000 people are expected at the 151st Open Championship at Hoylake. Cameron Smith is the defending champion but Rory McIlroy is the favourite.
In a statement to the paper, the chief superintendent of Merseyside Police, Mark Wiggins, said:
He added: "Anti-social behaviour, disorder and criminal activity will not be tolerated, and we will be robust with anyone who behaves in such a manner."
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