he opening night of the BBC Proms has been interrupted by two protesters from Just Stop Oil, who set off confetti cannons and sounded air horns.
The protesters attempted to address the audience at the Royal Albert Hall on Friday, drawing boos from the crowd, before being removed from the stage.
The environmental group, known for its recent disruptive protests at events including Wimbledon, said the action came in response to “underwhelming” coverage of climate change by the BBC.
“Two Just Stop Oil supporters have ran onto the stage at the @RoyalAlbertHall on the opening night of the @bbcproms,” Just Stop Oil tweeted, following the incident.
“The pair set off confetti cannons and sounded air horns, demanding the UK Government immediately halt all new oil and gas consents and licences.
“They attempted to address the audience before being forcibly removed.”
The group continued: “Tonight’s action comes in response to the BBC’s underwhelming coverage of the climate emergency.
“In recent weeks, the BBC has been accused of ‘false balance’ as well as uncritically regurgitating government and oil company propaganda.”
In response to the incident, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer tweeted: “Eco zealots shouldn’t disrupt sports events, weddings or the Proms.
“My message is this: Leave people to enjoy the events they love, and stop damaging your own cause.”
The disruption could be heard on BBC Radio 3’s live broadcast of the concert.
Broadcaster Petroc Trelawny remarked the protest felt like an “inevitability” and had sparked a “lively response” from the crowd of prom-goers.
A commotion could be heard in the background as the demonstrators rushed on stage, with Trelawny saying: “Ah now. We now seem to have a protest on the stage. You can hear boos.
“Two or three people have just run on carrying placards but they’re being quickly escorted off by the staff here.”
Fellow presenter Georgia Mann remarked: “Not of many of them Petroc. Looks like potentially only about three.”
Trelawny added: “It feels like an inevitability that that’s an event that we may see, we have seen tonight – let’s hope we don’t see again later on in the Proms season.
“Well it’s caused a bit of lively response, hasn’t it?”
Earlier in the programme before the protest, Mann remarked how close members of the audience were to the performers.
“Somehow it surprises me every summer when we sit here from this vantage point just how close the prommers are to the artists – I’ve said before – touching distance,” she said.
Six thousand people were gathered in the arena for the sell-out event.
The BBC has been approached for comment.
