London Marathon chiefs locked in last minute showdown with Just Stop Oil yobs to stop them from ruining race
LONDON Marathon bosses are locked in last minute negotiations with Just Stop Oil to try to stop them from ruining this Sunday’s race.
The organisers of the huge fundraising contest are on red alert after the environmental protesters said they would continue to target high profile sporting events.
Two of their members caused chaos at the World Snooker Championships on Monday when they managed to jump onto a table and throw orange paint into the air.
Hugh Brasher, Event Director for the TCS London Marathon, said he would be contacting Just Stop Oil representatives in an attempt to get them to back down and avoid Sunday’s popular race.
He said he has already received reassurances from eco group Extinction Rebellion that they will not target the event and plan to help “guard” the route from other rogue protesters.
Hugh, whose father Chris Brasher co founded the marathon in 1981, told a press briefing on Wednesday: “I have just come from a meeting with Extinction Rebellion and they will be uniquely asking all their participants to help guard the London Marathon and to do something which is quite unique in their history, and to protect what is one of the crown jewels of British sport.
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“We have been talking to Extinction Rebellion for months. Extinction Rebellion has been very very clear that they are in a new phase of wanting to engage the general public in a different way.
“It was not Extinction Rebellion at the snooker […] it was Just Stop Oil. I am having conversations with Just Stop Oil, I have been very clear what Extinction Rebellion are doing. I hope in those conversations Just Stop Oil will be giving the same assurances.”
He added that they will be implementing “additional mitigation measures” at this year’s event in an attempt to stop disruptors from getting onto the route.
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“Just Stop Oil have said they are specifically targeting sports organisations and I will be reaching out to them this afternoon,” he said. “I don’t know what they’re going to say. We will see.
“In the meantime we are putting in other mitigation measures and working with the royal parks, Westminster, and with the Mayor of London to mitigate because it’s very difficult – you can have one or two people over 26.5 miles. That’s difficult.”
Selfish Just Stop Oil protester Edred Whittingham, 25, caused outrage on Monday when covered himself in orange powder at the snooker in Sheffield.
Whittingham and fellow activist Margaret Reid, 52, were arrested by cops at The Crucible theatre and have been released on bail.
The group has refused to rule out ruining other huge events like the FA Cup Final and Wimbledon.
Saturday’s Grand National saw 118 animal rights protesters arrested for trying to halt the race.
When asked by The Sun if they plan to continue disrupting Britain’s summer of sport, a spokesperson for Just Stop Oil said: “As far as we’re concerned, all tactics are on the table.
The disruption will end as soon as the Government makes a meaningful statement to halt any new licensing or consent to any new fossil fuel exploration.”
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MPs have called for eco yobs who disrupt sporting events to be handed bans like football hooligans and longer prison sentences.
PM Rishi Sunak told the Sun: “People who disrupt decent, law-abiding people’s lives, trying to gratuitously ruin great sporting events that many have worked hard and saved to enjoy should be ashamed of their selfish behaviour.”