With thousands of viewers, attendees, and competitors worldwide, it's undeniable that esports are more significant than ever in the gaming industry and culture at large. With this in mind, it's not surprising that a group of protesters disrupted a competitive event in an attempt to spread their message.
Last week, EGX 2023, the largest gaming event in the UK, took place. In the final of the TEKKEN 7 tournament, three activists from the environmental group Just Stop Oil interrupted the competition to protest in front of attendees, players, and cameras.
Activists Invade Stage During TEKKEN 7 Tournament; Arrested
As seen in a video shared on social media by spectators and later on the official Just Stop Oil account, the environmentalists approached the stage where the Bandai Namco video game competition was taking place.
The protesters splattered the participants' monitors with orange paint, and one activist used a water gun to spray paint on the giant screen and stage. They then stood in front to protest and share their message.
"We are Just Stop Oil, and we demand that the UK government immediately cease all new licenses for coal, oil, and gas. The UK government is playing with our lives," one of the protesters declared.
🚨 THIS ISN’T A GAME: Just Stop Oil Disrupt UK’s Biggest Gaming Convention
— Just Stop Oil (@JustStop_Oil) October 15, 2023
🦺 3 supporters of Just Stop Oil have disrupted the winners final of Tekken 7 at #EGX2023, covering the equipment in orange paint.
🖋️ We’re fighting for our lives. Join us — https://t.co/7BzUVS0A3x pic.twitter.com/M770G5PFLb
Quickly, event security personnel approached the stage to escort the protesters out, while the audience expressed disapproval with boos. According to reports, the tournament resumed shortly afterward, and player J0Ka secured the victory after defeating Ayorichie.
In a statement, Just Stop Oil confirmed that the three protesters who disrupted the TEKKEN 7 tournament were arrested by the Metropolitan Police for "criminal damage." The group also provided the reason why they targeted EGX 2023 for their protest.
"EGX 2023 is sponsored by Barclays Bank, described as the 'number 1 European financier in the climate crisis.' It financed around $167 billion in fossil fuels. Additionally, Shell sponsors the popular game Fortnite, as well as gaming influencers," reads the official statement.
The activist group then points out that gamers need to become aware of this environmental issue before it's too late. "Video games allow us to escape to new and exciting dimensions, but the physics of the real world is about to cause the death of billions. If we put more carbon into the atmosphere at this point, the game will be over."
As expected, the community reacted in various ways to this situation. While some people made jokes about what happened, others criticized Just Stop Oil for interrupting the TEKKEN 7 tournament.
But tell us, what do you think of this incident? Do you believe the environmentalist group acted wrongly? Let us know in the comments.
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