World Snooker Championship: ‘Completely crazy!’ – Mark Allen reacts to protesters halting match at Crucible

Mark Allen has given his reaction to Eurosport after the shocking moment when two protesters forced an abrupt halt to play on both tables at the World Championship with one of the tables left damaged as a result.

The divide was lifted between the two tables so the fans could watch the Allen v Fan match as the 37-year-old joked to the crowd, “I don’t know what the fuss was all about”, after potting the first ball on resumption. He then went on to make a century which was, technically, the longest in Crucible history.

Speaking after the match, Allen reflected on the “completely crazy” incident and also how the fans responded in emotional fashion when he and Fan eventually returned to ensure that snooker was not entirely prevented from being played.

“I think I was the last person to realise what was going on!” Allen mused as he recalled the incident in the Eurosport studio.

“I was just so engrossed in the shot I was trying to play. I heard a bang and I thought it was on the other table. I was still focused on the shot, then a turned around and there was someone on the table. It was a bit surreal.

“But I feel that even speaking about it, we probably shouldn’t be giving them any air-time, to be honest. Just complete idiots.

“I’ve seen it a bit on social media when I was sitting having my cup of tea when we got sent out of the arena. Completely crazy! We were very fortunate that Olivier [Marteel, the referee] was on the ball for this one, otherwise we would have faced the same consequences.

“I don’t really see any point or purpose in what they are trying to do – there are probably better ways of trying to get their point across.”

Asked if he was scared by the interruption, Allen joked: “I’m going to be honest: I was completely oblivious to what was going on. I was just so engrossed in what I was playing.

“But I would say if you saw it unfold like other people would have, it would have been daunting because you don’t know what has happened; they could have weapons or anything really. Fair play to all the security staff because they were straight on the ball.

“Genuinely, I was probably one of the most chilled people in the building. I was just sitting in my dressing room having a cup of tea and just waiting to be told because it was out of my control, so what was the point in worrying about it.”

Reflecting on the ovation he and Fan received when they returned to what became a one-table set-up, Allen said: “It was really special. Me and Fan had a little smile at each other. You didn’t want it to ruin their night [the fans]. The crowd pay good money to come and watch so you don’t want their night spoiled by a couple of idiots in the crowd.

“They were just happy to see us back out there. The crowd were absolutely awesome.”

Just Stop Oil confirmed that they were behind the incident in a statement: “At around 7:20pm, two Just Stop Oil supporters have disrupted the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, interrupting play. The pair proceeded to cover the tables in orange powder paint before being removed by security and arrested.”

WST later confirmed that the match between Milkins and Perry would now begin on Tuesday at 19:00 UK time, at the time their second session was originally scheduled.

The second session of the Milkins v Perry match will take place on Thursday at 09:30 UK time, when no morning play was originally going to be held.

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