ENGLAND cricket ace Jonny Bairstow was hailed a hero by PM Rishi Sunak today for carting an eco-activist off the Ashes pitch.
The wicketkeeper picked up yob Daniel Knorr, 21, at Lord’s and showed timid police exactly how they should be dealing with disruptive protesters.
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Knorr and two others had been trying to hurl orange powder over the pitch but were stopped before they could trample on the wicket.
Last night, 33-year-old Yorkshireman Bairstow’s quick game-saving actions were praised by the PM.
Cricket fan Mr Sunak said: “These Labour backed eco-zealots have disrupted one too many sporting events that Brits around the country look forward to every summer.
“Jonny Bairstow did a heroic job of stepping in to stop the Just Stop Oil intruders from causing further disruption to the cricket and we will ensure the police do the same on the streets of the UK and beyond.”
Lee Anderson, deputy chairman of the Conservative Party, posted a picture of Oxford University student Knorr being bundled away and wrote: “Proper policing. That’s how you deal with these lunatics.”
Fan Sam Farley said: “Jonny Bairstow carrying off a Just Stop Oil protester like he’s putting the ironing board away.”
Sun columnist and Talk TV presenter Piers Morgan said: “Jonny putting the rubbish out.”
England skipper Ben Stokes also tried to stop one of the protesters, who stormed the pitch five minutes after play started in the first day of the second test.
The match resumed after a ten-minute delay.
Three people were arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass.
It follows similar stunts at the World Snooker Championships and the rugby Premiership final at Twickenham.
Marylebone Cricket Club, which owns Lord’s, in North West London, blasted the activists.
Chief executive Guy Lavender said: “Their actions not only endanger themselves and those who work at the ground, but they have consistently shown complete disregard for the people who pay to attend events, not just here at Lord’s but around the country at other sporting venues.”
Police have faced criticism for standing by while activists carry out disruptive protests, although laws were tightened this month to allow them to intervene earlier.
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BAIRSTOW SHOW OF FORCE
By Mick Neville, Ex Met Police DCI
THANK goodness for Jonny Bairstow — howzat for showing today’s police how to deal with protesters?
A friend of mine famously used his helmet to cover the privates of a streaker at Twickenham in 1974.
Then, the public knew the police were on their side.
Today they are seen by many as supporting the wrong people.
The Met and other forces used to recruit working-class people like me.
Now, they recruit students who I suspect have more empathy for the eco-protesters than they do with the white van man trying to get to work.
They are losing the backing of ordinary workers who could always be relied on to support them.
Hats off to Jonny for getting stuck in.
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