Just Stop Oil's Snooker Protest Sends Twitter Into A Wisecracking Frenzy
A Just Stop Oil protester has made headlines after disrupting the snooker world championship and opening a bag of bright orange powder all over the table – and Twitter absolutely loved the drama.
Just Stop Oil, a body of campaigners who want to end the use of fossil fuels in an effort to protect the environment, has a reputation for its eccentric protests.
This particular demonstration triggered a 24-hour suspension in the match, even though it took only 12 seconds for two security guards to run down the Crucible Theatre steps in Sheffield and remove him.
Another protester also tried to glue herself to a different snooker table, but the referee intervened before she could complete the act.
It’s not the first time the climate activists have divided people. They went viral last year after a group wearing the Just Stop Oil t-shirts threw soup over Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers at London’s National Gallery.
They’ve also blocked petrol stations, vandalised fuel pumps and disrupted football matches.
But this particular act seems to have won over most of Twitter (and there were plenty of Wotsits jokes).
Nice to see that at least bags of Cheesy Wotsits haven't suffered Shrinkflation. https://t.co/58cM97Pr66
— Phlogging An Orse #FBPE⚫️ (@PhloggingAnOrse) April 18, 2023
An Oompa Loompa just blew himself up at the snooker World Championships in protest at working conditions in Wonka’s chocolate factories pic.twitter.com/QLBlkx6kRK
— Paddy Raff (@paddyraffcomedy) April 17, 2023
I know snooker needs an injection of intrigue but I didn't think they'd go straight to inferno matches. pic.twitter.com/PdXHShmTQT
— Stuart James Quigley (@sqstudios) April 17, 2023
Live scenes at the snooker pic.twitter.com/06akvaYwkV
— Grace (@graceyldn) April 17, 2023
Robbie Williams did a halftime show at the snooker? pic.twitter.com/Od3NDFTx8O
— Jonathan Roberts (@jonrob5000) April 18, 2023
This photo from the snooker looks more like an album cover than most album covers. pic.twitter.com/qF1zFepbwy
— HLTCO (@HLTCO) April 17, 2023
If anyone’s at the snooker can you keep an eye out. Some random guy just stole my bag of paprika, no idea why ????♂️ pic.twitter.com/0h7ajecr7S
— Matthew Highton (@MattHighton) April 17, 2023
Good to see they have implemented heat maps in this years world snooker championship pic.twitter.com/XhUsgl2Om9
— Howard Hamlin (@H0wardHamlin) April 17, 2023
Not sure Leeds and Liverpool will serve up anything close to a lad chucking a bag of tumeric on a snooker table, but only time will tell.
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) April 17, 2023
Donald Trump’s ashes scattered prematurely in surreal snooker scenario https://t.co/k1KQSwahp3
— Dom Joly (@domjoly) April 17, 2023
I see someone opened a single bag of Wotsits at the snooker pic.twitter.com/Cfghldd6o9
— Chris Deeley (@ThatChris1209) April 17, 2023
And plenty actually thought it was a good protest strategy.
Man lets off orange powder at the snooker. Britain: arrest him
— Sam Bright (@WritesBright) April 17, 2023
Man vandalises Oxford restaurant. Britain: make him our leader
It takes real guts to do something like this, surrounded by people screaming at you.
— Ash Sarkar (@AyoCaesar) April 17, 2023
The suffragettes were hated in their time too. pic.twitter.com/QAVDTRJ16m
No matter how annoying you find these climate change protesters to be, it’s inarguably true that most people and politicians are only talking about climate change because of disruptive protests like these.
— Davenant ???? (@MarcDavenant) April 18, 2023
https://t.co/AVY4AiO2hY
Whether you're a fan of snooker, oil or environmental protesting, we all have to agree the photos from last night are absolutely stunning. pic.twitter.com/q20YSp6J7V
— Ben The Illustrator / Ben Draws ✏️✌️ (@BenIllustrator) April 18, 2023
I don't know if this is a "good" tactic, whatever that would look like, but it is very funny and chaotic and satisfying
— Peter Mitchell (@pdkmitchell) April 17, 2023
sorry snooker fans but isn’t this the type of protest that doesn’t inconvenience the general public and has very effective news impact #JustStopOil ????pic.twitter.com/Pv2f5eO6nJ
— dave ❄️ ???? ???? (@mrdavemacleod) April 17, 2023
Person who has never thought about snooker for more than 5 seconds before: I AM FURIOUS
— Eleanor Morton (@EleanorMorton) April 17, 2023
What an extraordinary, memorable picture.
— Aaron Bastani (@AaronBastani) April 17, 2023
I really think it could be this guy’s big break. pic.twitter.com/dsSAhgHzSc
Although, many people might just have been hypnotising by the satisfying way the table was cleaned up afterwards.
excellent hoovering skills. Well played ladspic.twitter.com/EMQZEcIVBk
— dave ❄️ ???? ???? (@mrdavemacleod) April 17, 2023
Whatever you think about the protest, I can't help think hoovering paint powder off snooker baize must be immensely satisfying. @rickedwards1@bbc5livehttps://t.co/agcwrn2HyP
— Rachel Burden (@rachelburden) April 18, 2023
For me this has much the same therapeutic qualities of watching the snooker https://t.co/F5qtfu1Sxh
— Alan White (@aljwhite) April 18, 2023