Four Protesters Arrested at British Open For Attempting to Disrupt Play

Four individuals from the activist group Just Stop Oil attempted to discard a “powder” on the 17th green of Royal Liverpool before they were removed and arrested.

According to a statement released by the Merseyside Police on Friday, four protesters have been arrested at the British Open and removed from the Royal Liverpool premises. 

The four individuals are believed to be part of the protest group "Just Stop Oil," an environmental activist group.  

The Merseyside Police reported that a “powder” was discarded onto the 17th green and one protester allegedly had a “smoke pyrotechnic” on hand. The powder was quickly cleaned up by officials. 

Security was able to remove the protesters from the grounds of the golf course and take them into custody before any disruptions in play. 

Local police inspect the “powder” that was discarded by Just Stop Oil protesters at the Open Championship.  :: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

“Two males and two females were quickly detained by both stewards and officers and they were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit criminal damage and public nuisance. They will be taken into police custody to be questioned,” the statement read. 

The presence of Just Stop Oil during this year’s championship did not come as a surprise. Martin Slumbers, chief executive of the R&A, addressed the possibility during a pre-tournament press conference and assured that the tournament had “significant security procedures” in place. Slumbers also revealed that the protest group directly targeted the Open last year at the Old Course at St. Andrews.

The possibility of disruption prompted the R&A to advise players on proper protocol.

“You will have seen that we advised the players, please don’t get involved, and I stand by that. We have enough things in place to be able to deal with it,” Slumbers said on Wednesday. “Beyond that, I think security matters I need to keep confidential.” 

Despite Slumbers’s warning to players, Billy Horschel ultimately had a hand in removing one of the protesters from the property during the second round of the tournament. 

Video surfaced of Horschel peacefully turning a protestor over to security, before returning to play. 

The Merseyside Police continued to state that although they protect the right to protest, the group’s “antisocial, criminal behavior or disorder will not be tolerated.”

The local authorities and the R&A will continue to work together to ensure players and spectators can enjoy the event without disruption.