The Just Stop Oil activist who caused havoc at last night's Snooker World Championship event is a full-time student who just weeks ago told GB News that not having children was the "moral choice".
Eddie Whittingham, a 25-year-old student at Exeter University, stormed the playing area at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre yesterday evening and covered one of the snooker tables in orange paint powder.
Wearing a "Just Stop Oil" T-shirt, the activist interrupted the match between Robert Milkins and Joe Perry by jumping onto one of the tables and tipping out the powder.
A woman was prevented from executing a similar stunt on the other table after being tackled by quick-thinking referee Olivier Marteel.
Eddie Whittingham said he wasn't having children on 'moral grounds'
GB News
Shocked fans could be heard screaming and shouting at the pair as the saga unfolded on live TV.
Whittingham has repeatedly taken part in publicity stunts in a bid to bring about change on climate policy.
Last year he was jailed for blocking an oil terminal, and was also arrested after he super-glued his hand to a painting at Manchester Art Gallery.
At the end of last month he also appeared on GB News to announce that he wouldn't be having children due to the "climate crisis".
“I already have decided that I won’t be having children because I can’t guarantee that there will be a habitable planet for them to grow up into,” he told Patrick Christys on March 31.
Eddie Whittingham jumped onto the table shortly after the event began
PA
The Just Stop Oil protester jumps on the table at the World Snooker Championships
PA“I think it’s the moral choice, given the circumstances we are facing.”
Asked whether it would be morally wrong to bring more children into the world, Whittingham reaffirmed his pledge.
He confirmed: “If we don’t sort out the climate crisis."
Explaining why he takes action he added: "One and a half degrees of warming is now locked in. Two degrees of warming is likely.
"If we go over two degrees, we could destabilise global civilisation."
After last night's disruption, Whittingham and the woman were held backstage by tournament security officials until the police arrived.
Play had to be suspended while officials dealt with the messPASouth Yorkshire Police later confirmed two people had been arrested and remained in custody.
“Two people were detained after protestors gained entry to The Crucible earlier this evening,” the force said in a statement last night.
“A 30-year-old man and a 52-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage. Both are in police custody.”
Just Stop Oil issued a statement which read: “At around 7:20pm, two Just Stop Oil supporters have disrupted the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, interrupting play.
“The pair proceeded to cover the tables in orange powder paint before being removed by security and arrested.
“They are demanding that the Government immediately stop all new UK fossil fuel projects and are calling on UK sporting institutions to step into civil resistance against the Government’s genocidal policies.”