|
Stacey Allaster, United States Tennis
Association (USTA) Chief Executive Professional Tennis, told
ESPN the disturbance involved three climate protesters.
The USTA later issued a statement confirming four were taken
into NYPD custody.
"Three of the four protesters were escorted out of the stadium
without further incident," said the USTA statement. "The fourth
protester affixed their bare feet to the floor of the seating
bowl.
"Due to the nature of this action, NYPD and medical personnel
were needed in order to safely remove this individual from the
stadium."
Photographs of the scene showed protesters wearing shirts with
the slogan, 'End Fossil Fuels'.
As players looked into the stands, security flooded into the
section around where protesters were shouting. Television
pictures showed more than a dozen law enforcement officers in
the section.
Players were escorted off the court by a USTA official and
returned for a warm-up 45 minutes later before play resumed.
Several major sporting events have been targeted by climate
groups this year. 'Just Stop Oil' protesters interrupted play at
Wimbledon in July, releasing orange ticker-tape mixed with
jigsaw puzzle pieces during matches.
(Reporting by Steve Keating in New York; Editing by Gerry Doyle,
Peter Rutherford)
[© 2023 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content. |
|
