Just Stop Oil activists charged by police over Twickenham protest

Two Just Stop Oil protesters have been charged by police after a pitch invasion at the English Premiership Rugby final at Twickenham.

Samuel Johnson, 40, and Patrick Hart, 37, are due to appear in court accused of aggravated trespass, the Metropolitan Police said.

The protest, which saw orange paint thrown, meant the match between Saracens and Sale was stopped on Saturday for around five minutes.

A group of Just Stop Oil demonstrators, who are calling on the government to halt new fossil fuel licensing and production, ran onto the pitch 15 minutes into the game against a chorus of boos from the crowd.

Johnson, of Reydon, Suffolk, and Hart, of Brislington, Bristol, are due to appear at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on Monday. They were remanded in custody until then.

It comes a few days after a separate Just Stop Oil demonstration, which saw protesters throw orange powder paint over a garden at the Chelsea Flower Show in London.

Three people were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage in relation to the incident, according to Scotland Yard.

In April, a Just Stop Oil demonstrator released orange powder onto a snooker table at the world championships.

Since its campaign launched on 14 February 2022, there have been more than 2,100 related arrests and 138 people have spent time in prison, the group has said.