A Tekken 7 tournament has become the latest victim of Just Stop Oil, a protest group that attempts to make a point with disruption and vandalism.
The Tekken UK & IRE Championships at EGX 2023 were interrupted when Just Stop Oil protestors charged onto the stage and used orange spray paint on the gaming setups and competitors, including Hasan “JoKa” Rehman and Kane “KaneAndTrench” Heartfield.
The shocking moment was caught on the event’s
stream. You could hear the commentators stop discussing the game, seeming concerned and distracted.
“What’s going on?” one asked.
Then, the stream cuts to the audience looking confused and then booing the protestors for disrupting the tournament.
According to local sources, Just Stop Oil, an environmental activist group, cosplayed as Ghostbusters characters and made their way into the EGX 2023 event. When they got to the Tekken 7 tournament, they removed the costumes and started spraying the monitors and equipment on stage with water guns filled with paint.
The group of activists were removed and the tournament continued, resulting in a victory for JoKa in the finals. But meanwhile, the FGC was left stumped by Just Stop Oil’s stunt.
Online, many questioned why they chose a Tekken 7 tournament to protest, seeing as most competitors are young and “on their side.” Why not “piss off” the government or big corporations instead of everyday people?
Just Stop Oil’s goal is to force the government to stop using fossil fuels in the UK. To protest, members of the group have glued themselves to famous paintings, thrown soup on iconic artwork, and blocked traffic. They hope to get attention for their behavior since peaceful protests have not gotten anything done, the group believes.
The group stated on Twitter that they already attempted to disrupt oil companies and other corporations, which has led to nothing. But even more strangely, Just Stop Oil claimed that there won’t even be an esports industry “when people are fighting in the supermarket for food? Do you think IRL Tekken in Tescos will be fun?”
Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.
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