Just Stop Oil protester carried off Lord’s Cricket Ground by Jonny Bairstow as group disrupt The Ashes

Just Stop Oil activists stormed onto Lord’s Cricket Ground as England faced Australia in the second test of the 2023 Ashes series. Yorkshire’s Jonny Bairstow was seen carrying one of the protestors off the pitch to huge applause across the London ground.

Ground staff are reportedly clearing up the orange paint that was released from pitch invaders as the morning session got underway. Play was momentarily suspended to allow ground staff to clear paint from around the wicket, meanwhile Bairstow left the pitch briefly in order to clean himself up.

Following the events, Just Stop Oil posted on their Twitter account: “Lord’s Cricket Ground boasts about being powered by 100% renewable energy, yet their principal partner is JP Morgan, the world’s worst fossil bank that contributed $317 billion in fossil fuel financing from 2016 to 2020.”

A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said:“Cricket is an important part of our national heritage, but how can we enjoy England vs Australia when much of the cricketing world is becoming unfit for humans to live in? We can no longer afford to distract ourselves when the sports we play, the food we eat, and the culture we cherish is at risk.

“It’s time for cricket lovers and all those who understand the severity of this situation, to get onto the streets and demand action from this illegitimate, criminal government. When our children ask us ‘what did we do’ to avert this crisis, we better have a good answer.”

The group confirmed the identity of one of the supporters involved in the pitch invasion as Judit, a 69 year old grandmother from Epsom. She said: “I have to take action for my seven beautiful grandchildren. I can’t bear to imagine the suffering that they will have to endure because of this government continuing to licence new oil, coal and gas, against all better judgement and expert advice.”

The pitch invasion comes just one day after four Just Stop Oil protestors were arrested in London for targeting a multinational energy firm’s base in Canary Wharf. The environmental activist group claimed on Twitter that 27 of their supporters had been arrested on Tuesday morning outside TotalEnergies Headquarters.

England are hoping to bounce back after going 1-0 down in the 2023 Ashes series following their defeat to Australia at Birmingham’s Edgbaston. The match produced a thrilling finale as Ben Stokes’ ‘Bazball’ wasn’t enough to edge out Pat Cummins’ composed Australian side.

The second test at Lord’s see’s one change to the side that starred at Edgbaston. Joshua Tongue makes his Ashes debut in place of Moeen Ali who is struggling with injury.