A group of Just Stop Oil protesters interrupted a major Tekken 7 tournament.
Three members of the UK-based environmental group Just Stop Oil disrupted the winners final of the EGX 2023 Tekken 7 tournament, with the three protesters rushing the stage and covering both competitors’ monitors with orange paint. Video captured from the incident additionally showed the protesters standing together and demanding an immediate end to the UK government’s use of coal, oil and gas, which was met with a wave of boos from audience members. All three Just Stop Oil supporters were escorted away by security shortly thereafter.
“Video games let us escape into new and exciting dimensions, but real-world physics are about to deliver the deaths of billions,” a spokesperson for Just Stop Oil said. “Put more carbon in the atmosphere at this point and it’s game over. Gamers cooperate to win, and we need these skills to survive. Everyone must step up and join in civil resistance against new oil and gas, because this isn’t a game. Let’s unite to make this world safe so that we can get back to exploring cyber worlds.”
Just Stop Oil Disrupts Tekken 7 Tournament
This wasn’t the first time Just Stop Oil made headlines. The organization similarly came under fire after members attempted to vandalize a priceless painting by the famous artist, Vincent Van Gogh, at the National Gallery in London. Just Stop Oil was additionally criticized for its slow marches, wherein hundreds of members organized slow-walking protests to bring traffic to a standstill. Dozens of Just Stop Oil protesters were also previously arrested after similar incidents, with groups publicly vandalizing various government buildings and attempting to disrupt other high-profile events. The organization vowed to continue its activities until the UK government committed to halting new fossil fuel licensing and production.
Despite the interruption, the EGX 2023 Tekken 7 tournament eventually continued and ended with Team Falcons’ JoKa taking home the trophy after winning the final set against Rize Gaming’s Ayorichie in the grand finals. It’s likely this will be the last Tekken 7 tournament in EGX, given that the next entry into the beloved fighting game series, Tekken 8 is set for release early next year.
Tekken 8 releases on Jan. 26 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
Source: Twitter
