In the middle of a tense and tight Men's French Open tennis semi-final today between Marin Cilic and Caspar Ruud, a climate change protestor ran out onto the court and attached herself to the tennis net and net post.
Although the tv broadcast crew cut away from the on court display, initial reports were that the woman had glued herself to the net post and also chained herself to the net, then sat down in silence.
Photo Source: DerniereRenovation.fr
She was wearing a white t-shirt emblazoned with the words "We have 1028 days left." In smaller print at the bottom of the shirt was a website, derniererenovation.fr.
Security swiftly moved onto the court to remove the woman while the players eventually returned to the locker room until it was determined safe to resume play.
Clicking on the link above reveals a French activist organization, Derniere Renovation (The Last Renovation), with a picture of the young woman on the court on the home page, apparently with her neck zip-tied to the net. The group appears to be focused on addressing climate change and fair housing opportunities in France.
The 22 yr old woman, named Alizee, was quoted as saying "We are in 2022 and it is time to face reality, the world to which politicians are sending us is a world to which Roland Garros will no longer be able to exist. Today, I entered the field because I can no longer take the risk of doing nothing in the face of the climate emergency."
According to the website, the 1028 days left refers to an ultimatum the group issued to the French government on March 28, marking the initial date that citizens entered into civil resistance against the French government to do something about climate change.
At this time, no further information is available as to what charges, if any, will be made against the protestor.
