TWO activists from the Just Stop Oil pressure group have been charged with “aggravated trespass” after they ran onto the field during the English Premiership rugby final at Twickenham, London police said today.

The two men, both wearing the group’s orange T-shirts with “Just Stop Oil” written on the front, ran onto the pitch during the first half of the game yesterday and sprinkled orange powder over the playing surface.

They were quickly removed and the match resumed with Saracens going on to secure a 35-25 win over Sale.

Police said Patrick Hart, 37, and Samuel Johnson, 40, were charged with “aggravated trespass”. They have been remanded in custody and are due in court tomorrow.

Just Stop Oil said the two activists – a doctor and a construction worker – staged the stunt to highlight the group’s demand that the government stop all new UK fossil fuel projects.

Police said the incident caused “frustration to both the players and spectators”, adding that they “will continue to monitor and respond to such incidents quickly”.

“Where protest moves into criminality or serious disruption, we will take robust action to ensure Londoners and visitors alike can continue to enjoy their Bank Holiday weekend,” Commander Kyle Gordon of the Metropolitan police said.

The Premiership final was the latest British public event to be targeted by the group, who staged similar protests at the Chelsea Flower Show and the World Snooker Championship.

Just Stop Oil said there have been more than 2,100 arrests and 138 people have spent time in prison since the launch of the group’s campaign in February last year.

UK police forces were recently controversially granted new anti-protest powers by the government, following years of disruptive demonstrations by environmental activists.

Several hundred demonstrators, including Just Stop Oil members, gathered in central London yesterday to protest recent legislation, including the protest laws, which opponents say could curb the right to peaceful protest. – AFP, May 28, 2023.