The Daily Express reported that a protestor vaulted over the rigid barrier at the Crucible theatre in Sheffield, landing on the arena floor. The incident occurred during the third frame of the World Snooker Championship final between Shaun Murphy and Wu Yize on Sunday, according to the same report. The protestor was heard shouting about the television licence fee, the Daily Express stated. The match was immediately paused after the protestor landed, the newspaper added.
The Daily Express also reported that referee Rob Spencer, a former police officer, rushed to intervene after the protestor landed on the green baize. The protestor was then bundled away by members of the World Snooker Tour security team, the report continued. The security team acted swiftly to escort the protestor from the arena, the Daily Express said.
Television producers chose not to broadcast the disturbance, according to the Daily Express. Home viewers did not witness the incident, as the cameras cut away to other parts of the arena, the Daily Express explained. The decision to avoid showing the incident was made to prevent giving the protestor publicity, the newspaper reported.
On Saturday night, a man in the crowd shouted a reference to the Epstein files, the Daily Express reported. This outburst occurred during the deciding frame of the semi-final between Wu Yize and Mark Allen, according to the report.
The Daily Express indicated that the final was also disrupted by mobile phone ringtones and beeps at several points during the proceedings. On one occasion, a mobile phone sounded during Shaun Murphy's backswing, causing him to miss a shot, according to the report. Murphy then slammed his rest down on the table in frustration, the Daily Express detailed.
Before the third frame, referee Rob Spencer issued a stern warning to the crowd about phone use, the Daily Express reported. This followed earlier disruptions from multiple ringtones, as reported by the newspaper. The Daily Express reported that the warning included a threat of being thrown out if phones went off again.
The identity of the protestor and the exact nature of the licence fee message remain unclear. Officials have not confirmed any further action related to the incidents. The World Snooker Championship final continued with Murphy and Wu competing.