Two cleared over Just Stop Oil rugby final protest

Last year's Gallagher Premiership final at Twickenham was briefly delayed by the protest

Two Just Stop Oil (JSO) protesters who invaded the pitch at Twickenham during a rugby final have been cleared of criminal damage.

Samuel Johnson, 41, a construction worker from Essex, and Patrick Hart, 38, a GP from Bristol, threw orange powder during the Gallagher Premiership final between Saracens and Sale in May 2023.

They were acquitted by a jury at Kingston Crown Court on Tuesday.

The pair still face a charge of aggravated trespass, which has been sent back to Wimbledon Magistrates' Court to be dealt with at a later date.

JSO said prosecutors struggled to prove that the two men had intended to cause criminal damage, because they would not have realised how difficult it would be to clean the powder paint from the Twickenham pitch.

Similar paint was thrown by activists during the Ashes at Lord's and was easily cleaned up with a leaf blower, but the hybrid pitch at Twickenham is a combination of natural and plastic grass and much more difficult to clean.

Mr Johnson said: "I took part in this action because our politicians continue to issue licences, knowing full well it will result in the deaths of millions of people.

“Thousands have died due to extreme heat brought on by climate change while we were on trial.

"This is happening now.”

Dr Hart said: “I told the jury that I am taking the most effective action I can, on the best available evidence, to protect the health of my patients.

"To put it simply: I am doing my duty as a doctor.”

The Crown Prosecution Service said it respected the jury's decision.