Everton vs Newcastle delayed after man ties himself to goal post in Goodison Park protest | Football News

Everton’s Premier League game against Newcastle was delayed for seven minutes after a man tied himself to the goal post in an apparent protest.

The second half was barely five minutes old when the game was stopped after a protester tied himself to the goalpost at the Gwladys Street End and was only removed after half-a-dozen people and bolt croppers were deployed.

The man was then led away by police and stewards before the game was restarted.

The 21-year-old was staging a protest representing the views of a group called Just Stop Oil who are concerned about new oil fields in the North Sea.

Just Stop Oil later released a statement, saying: “At 8:50pm today, a young supporter of Just Stop Oil ran onto the pitch during the Everton vs Newcastle United game to draw attention to the group’s demand that the Government ends all new fossil fuel supply projects.

“Louis, 21, locked on to the goalpost at Goodison Park wearing a Just Stop Oil t-shirt, causing the referee to briefly stop play.”

Attached to the statement, Louis added his own message: “It’s 2022 and it’s time to look up, time to step up and not stand by. It’s time to act like it’s an emergency.

“Report after report is telling me that my future is going to be dire, and my government is telling me not to worry and pay into a pension.

“My generation is being shafted – we face a cost of living crisis, a housing crisis, a fuel crisis and an unlivable planet – but we have a choice. We can choose to highlight that our climate is breaking down, we can choose to resist this government that is betraying us, we can choose to step up and not stand by.”

The incident came during a crucial Premier League fixture for Everton, whose poor recent form has seen them pulled into the relegation battle. Going into the game, they were just outside the top three on goal difference.

The game was goalless against Newcastle at the time of the protest.