The semifinal match of the US Open between American Coco Gauff and Czech Karolina Muchova (6:4, 7:5) was stopped for 49 minutes due to four environmental activists.
In the beginning The second party at Arthur Ashe Stadium called for an end to the use of fossil fuels. One of them glued his bare feet to the cement floor.
Stadium security and at least ten New York City police officers spent nearly 50 minutes stopping the environmental activists' protest. As a result, they were taken out of the stadium and sent to the police station.
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A representative of the United States Tennis Association, which organizes the US Open, Chris Widmaier said after the match that three of the four protesters were taken out of the stadium without any problems . But in order to safely remove the activist, who had glued his feet to the floor, the police and medical personnel had to be involved.
During the delay of the match, some people chanted from the crowd: Kick them out!< /em>, referring to the protesters.
The environmental activist group Extinction Rebellion NYC said its activists were there to call for an end to the use of fossil fuels and that “there can be no tennis on a dead planet“ #8221;.
Extinction Rebellion representative Miles Grant said after the action that climate change also affects sports. He noted that every year the average temperature at prestigious tennis tournaments rises, increasing the danger for athletes and fans. The average temperature at the US Open this year is — 10 degrees above normal.
This is not the first time there has been an eco-protest at a major tennis tournament this year. At Wimbledon, activists stopped the game by throwing confetti onto the grass court.
