Just Stop Oil protesters disrupt Saracens v Sale Premiership final
The showpiece match between Saracens and Sale was level at 6-6 in the 21st minute when the three demonstrators, all wearing the group's orange T-shirts with 'Just Stop Oil' written on the front got onto the pitch and sprinkled orange powder over the playing surface.
But the trio were quickly removed, with a huge cheer from the Twickenham crowd when one of the demonstrators was rugby-tackled by a member of the security staff, and it was not long before the match resumed.
In a subsequent Just Stop Oil statement, the protestors justified their actions, with Dr Patrick Hart, 37, a GP from Bristol, south-west England, saying: "I am doing this because it's my duty as a doctor.
"The climate crisis is the greatest health crisis humanity has ever faced. People are dying now and more will die every day unless we stop new oil, gas and coal.
"In the same way the tobacco companies lied to us that tobacco was safe, the scrum of fossil fuel companies and corrupt politicians have been lying to us.
"They are keeping us addicted to fossil fuels, even though they know it's killing us. I am not prepared to let them get away with mass murder."
Also running onto the field was Sam Johnson, 40, a construction worker from Essex, east of London.
"I took action today simply because we have run out of time. We've got to tackle this now," he said in the statement.
The Premiership final was the latest major British public event to be targeted by the group, who staged similar protests at the Chelsea Flower Show and the World Snooker Championship.
