Romeo and Juliet ballet efficiency interrupted by local weather change protesters

Climate protesters interrupted a efficiency of Romeo and Juliet on Thursday evening at London’s Sadler’s Wells, demanding an finish to the theatre’s partnership with Barclays.

The group ran on to the stage throughout Matthew Bourne’s ballet adaptation of the Shakespeare traditional and unfurled a banner that mentioned “drop Barclays sponsorship”.

In video filmed by the group often called Fossil Free London, performers have been seen instantly leaving the stage earlier than the protection curtain got here down, drawing a mix of cheers and boos from the viewers.

The noise from the viewers appeared to attempt to drown out the protesters, who spent a number of minutes chanting “drop Barclays sponsorship”.

Additional protesters may very well be seen within the wings holding cardboard indicators – one among which demanded an finish to cash linked to grease in arts and tradition organisations.

Protesters have been then spoken to by safety.

One individual on X, previously often called Twitter, mentioned the disruption lasted for round 20 minutes, however it isn’t clear if the efficiency continued.

Sky News has contacted Sadler’s Wells for remark.

Spokesperson for Fossil Free London, Joanna Warrington, mentioned: “Like doomed star-crossed lovers, Barclays and Sadler’s Wells are trapped in a lethal romance as they change cash for social acceptance, besides on this model, after the worst results of local weather breakdown ricochet internationally, all of us die.

“By taking their dirty money, Sadler’s Wells is helping Barclays to launder its dirty image and is complicit in their climate-wrecking investments. It’s time to cut oily money out of the arts.”

The group claims Barclays is investing in new oil and fuel initiatives, saying the financial institution has spent greater than $190bn (£150bn) on fossil fuels for the reason that Paris Climate Accord was signed in 2016.

The group says it’s a “grassroots climate group campaigning for a London beyond fossil fuels, imagining a cleaner, greener city for residents and for people worldwide who are experiencing the loss and damage of climate crises made in London”.

It comes after a number of months of disruption geared toward sporting and cultural occasions, largely in London, with group Just Stop Oil spraying paint on authorities buildings, overlaying a Wimbledon court docket in orange powder, and storming the Ashes.

Sky News has contacted Barclays for remark.