Why World Snooker Championship final was halted by licence fee protest | Other | Sport

Television producers chose not to show the disturbance, with cameras staying fixed on the table. Referee Rob Spencer, a former police officer, rushed to stop the protestor, before she was then bundled away by members of the World Snooker Tour security team.

This was just the latest moment of disturbance at what is becoming an increasingly chaotic tournament.

If you were planning on making an impact and gaining attention for your cause at a sporting event, you can see why snooker would be considered.

The playing area is pretty small – certainly compared to football and rugby stadiums – with cameras tending to be fixed on it at all times.

The crowd is nearly always quiet, so a discordant voice is very likely to be heard.

We saw one of snooker’s most memorable protests at the World Championship three years ago.

A protestor from Just Stop Oil jumped onto a table and covered it with orange powder during a match between Robert Milkins and Joe Perry. Later, Edred Whittingham was given an 18-month community order.

It’s not as if snooker never had a problem at all in the past. A streaker memorably ran onto the arena floor during the 1997 Masters final between Steve Davis and Ronnie O’Sullivan at Wembley Conference Centre.

O’Sullivan turned the incident into a joke, covering the eyes of referee John Street.

But it certainly seems like disturbances have become more commonplace during this 2026 World Championship.

Not only that, but we’re also constantly hearing ringtones and beeps from mobile phones that disturb the action.

Spencer gave the crowd a stern warning before the start of the third frame, saying: “Don’t be the person that has to be thrown out.”

Murphy and Wu were level at 4-4 after the first session of the marathon final, which will come to a conclusion on Monday.