Just Stop Oil: Why the Everton pitch invader cable-tied himself to the goalposts

Protestor
(Image credit: Getty)

During the Everton vs Newcastle match this week, one protestor of the group Just Stop Oil cable-tied himself by the neck to the goalpost delaying kick-off – and more protestors could follow in the Premier League.

One pitch invader was hauled off by Wolves stewards during the Midlands outfit's 3-2 collapse against Leeds at Molineux, too. The Wolves invader couldn't tie himself up – but could well have been protesting something, too. 

"We can confirm a man was arrested after encroaching on to the pitch during the Everton v Newcastle United Premier League fixture," Merseyside police said of the incident at Goodison Park.

"At around 8.55pm it was reported that a man disrupted the match by running on to the pitch and tying himself to the goal post at the Howard Kendall Gwladys Street End.

"The suspect, a 21-year-old man, has been arrested on suspicion of pitch encroachment and he is now in police custody. The game resumed and has now concluded."

The protestor at Everton was representing the views of a group called Just Stop Oil. The group are concerned about new oil fields in the North Sea – and released a statement about the protest.

"At 8:50pm today, a young supporter of Just Stop Oil ran onto the pitch during the Everton vs Newcastle United game to draw attention to the group's demand that the Government ends all new fossil fuel supply projects," the group said on the night of the match. 

"Louis, 21, locked on to the goalpost at Goodison Park wearing a Just Stop Oil t-shirt, causing the referee to briefly stop play."

"My generation is being shafted," the protestor himself later claimed. "We face a cost of living crisis, a housing crisis, a fuel crisis and an unlivable planet - but we have a choice. 

"We can choose to highlight that our climate is breaking down, we can choose to resist this government that is betraying us, we can choose to step up and not stand by."

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Mark White
Content Editor

Mark White is the Digital Content Editor at FourFourTwo. During his time on the brand, Mark has written three cover features on Mikel Arteta, Martin Odegaard and the Invincibles, and has written pieces on subjects ranging from Sir Bobby Robson’s time at Barcelona to the career of Robinho. An encyclopedia of football trivia and collector of shirts, he first joined the team back in 2020 as a staff writer.